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Zakai Zeigler´s(Veolia Towers Hamburg) Height Was Never An Issue As His Mom Always Told Him That He Could Be Whatever He Wanted To

This season there is so much going on with the Skyliners that would invent excitement to watch them play in their living room than other seasons. I mean they have one of the best rosters in the last decade and being able to watch guys like Judah Mintz, ex NBA player Ryan Arcidiacono or Mr Iso Isaiah Swope is an enrichment. However for me, I also can get excited to watch guys from other teams especially this season with the vast talent in the Eurocup. But even in the easyCredit BBL, there are guys on each team that present you with that zeal to enter the Skyliners arena. When I checked the Veolia Towers Hamburg roster, It was a number that first tickled my interest. I saw 175 and was instantly excited. New Hamburg guard Zakai Zeigler (175-PG-2002, college: Tennessee) is only 175cm, but a player that can definitely ball. I have always adored short players simply because I´m short. Back in the day, the first short player I tried to imitate on the court was Boston Celtic Tiny Archibald. Back in those days I also enjoyed guys like Muggsy Bogues, Spud Webb or Piston great Isaiah Thomas. Overseas there have also been great short point guards like Facundo Campazzo, Shane Larkin or TJ Shorts. Being able to see a young and still some what raw player like Zakai Zeigler was exciting. In the third quarter he drove to the rim showing his impressive combination of speed, ball handling, athleticism and agility going underneath and finishing with an acrobatic reverse lay up high of the glass that had me reeling not to fall of my chair. It was that nice. Not only are talented players who are taller, but off the radar and paying their dues in lower leagues have chip on their shoulders, but usually small players have that weighty chip on their shoulders. For Zeigler, there is that chip, but he got the correct motivation, drive and confidence early on to strive for his goals no matter the so called adversary. “ Playing basketball is always what I did. My mom always told me I could do what I wanted to in life. I always wanted to be a pro player and that is what I am. I always liked watching Kemba Walker. I have a personal connection to him since my dad knows his dad. Kemba and I also have the same agent. I always watched how he handles the pick and roll. I also like watching guys like Trae Young and Fred Van Vleet”, stressed Zakai Zeigler.

The Veolia Towers Hamburg came to Frankfurt with a 1-3 record and played the Skyliners tough in the first half, but in the second half were unable to penetrate the walling up and packing the paint by Frankfurt who were able to really stifle the Towers offense. It also helped that they upped their shooting percentages. “We played well in the first half even if we were a little up and down. We didn´t respond well in the second half when they punched. We were unable to swing when they swung”, stressed Zakai Zeigler. Frankfurt were on a mission and never let up in the fourth quarter allowing their least points in the game with 16 and just buckled down like a good defensive team should. “They did a good job packing the paint. I feel like we were too hooked to play the correct way than being aggressive. I think that if we had been as aggressive like in the first half, then the game couldn´t of gone in a different way”, warned Zakai Zeigler. It also didn´t help Hamburg´s cause that they had to withstand a player like Judah Mintz who had the hot hand in so many instances when Frankfurt were on runs. Mintz proved that he was the master of the runs in this game. He finished with 27 points leading the Skyliners to the win. “He is a very good player. I knew him before the game as we had played against each other in college. We talked some smack. He shot the ball well. When he gets downhill, he is great”, stressed Zakai Zeigler. The American who was born on Long Island and played at Our Saviour Lutheran School in the Bronx had 13 points and 2 assists in 29 minutes and shot the ball well at 42% from the field, but felt like he could of done more in the second half after a good first half. “I began strong in the first quarter. I could have been more aggressive in the second quarter. I played Ok. I´m never satisfied”, stressed Zakai Zeigler.

The ex University of Tennessee (NCAA) guard who had stints playing in the NBA Summer League with the Pistons and Spurs and played his rookie season overseas with Nanterre 92 (France-Betclic ELITE ProA) is playing his second pro season with the Voelia Towers Hamburg. The BBL is in a way similar to the France Pro A, but also different and he is confident that his new team can do big things despite the slow start at 1-4 in the BBL. “I think that the biggest difference between both leagues is the physicality. The refs let you play more in the BBL. I feel like we can have a good season. The playoffs are the goal. We just still have things to figure out”, added Zakai Zeigler. He is also very fortunate to have some great teammates this season with young player Noah Thomasson and veteran David Muenkat who had a home coming on Sunday playing against his ex team Frankfurt. “I played against Noah in school. I love his game. He has that James Harden play style. He is great at scoring the ball and going downhill. David is amazing. He is our leader and rebounds the ball so well. He can get on your back, but then turn around and give you a high five”, smiled Zakai Zeigler. So far through 5 games, he is averaging 11/4/2/1 stats in 26 minutes. He has showed that he needs no adjustment time to being an impact player in the BBL. “My role this season is to be that point guard that is aggressive, makes shots and is a lock down defender”, commented Zakai Zeigler. This season the Hamburg Towers don´t have the double stress of Eurocup competition and only have to focus on the easyCredit BBL. The American has one big goal what he has to improve this season. “I have struggled my whole career on shooting and that is something I definitely will work hard on”, warned Zakai Zeigler. As a guy who grew up in the tough Bronx, it must be one of the biggest culture shocks living in one of the most beautiful cities in the world with Hamburg. I bet there are very few people from the Bronx that have been in Hamburg. “Hamburg is amazing. I´m really happy that my family is here with my sister at the moment. When I have some time, I really like to go sit and relax at the Alster lake”, said Zakai Zeigler. He also has found a liking to the great German food. “I really like the bread. I like going to the store and being able to get fresh bread”, smiled Zakai Zeigler. It will be interesting to see if the Veolia Towers Hamburg can dig themselves out of their little hole and how Zakai Zeigler continues to develop this season. I´m sure his dazzling exciting play will enrich other people in other arena´s in Germany this season.

Having Dad Yassin At Games Is Like A Gift For Malik Idbihi(Dragons Rhondorf)

When visiting games in the Dragon Dome in Bad Honnef, you are always bound to see some noteworthy basketball heads. Seeing players from easyCredit BBL team Telekom Baskets is nothing unusual when they have a night off. However sometimes you also see other basketball figures like a Kamil Novak, the Executive director of FIBA and who played with the Dragons Rhondorf more than 20 years ago or on other occasions seeing basketball 221 meter giant Rolf Bibo Mayer who is the father of current Dragons center Daniel Mayr and at a time was the tallest German alive. But there is also another well known German basketball player who is often seen in the Dragon Dome and that is ex German national player Yassin Idbihi. He is currently a scout for Europe for NBA team Charlotte Hornets and when his job isn´t occupying his time, he loves watching his son Khalid who won the German JBBL (U-16) title in 2026 and rookie of the year and 17 year old Malik whom plays for the Dragons Rhondorf and NBBL (U-19) team Bonn-Rhondorf. He isn´t at all games, but his presence in the ´Dragon Dome is very special for Malik. “Having my dad watching me play in the Dragon Dome is like a gift for me. He is very helpful and supports me like a coach and always tells me what I can improve”, stated Malik Idbihi (193-PG-2009). It was the second home game in a row where Yassin found time to observe his son. His dad who was born in Cologne Germany and also has the Moroccan citizenship played at the University of Buffalo (NCAA) and had a fruitful easyCredit BBL career in Germany with elite teams like Alba Berlin, Bamberg and Munich and won 4 titles was a 208cm center while his son is a 193cm point guard. Do the different positions pose a problem with the learning effect? “Not at all. My dad has so much experience and coached here some years ago. He knows how to coach all positions”, smiled Malik Idbihi. In the summers, they don´t only work on his game, but take family vacations to Morocco. “That is also a gift spending time with my family there. We never play basketball there, but may play some football on the beach”, smiled Malik Idbihi.

The second home game didn´t play out as well as the team win over Erfurt as BG Hessing Leitershofen smothered the Dragons Rhondorf 82-68. Rhondorf had an awful shooting day and didn´t come to terms with the aggressive Leitershofen defense despite dominating the boards 55-36. “We couldn´t hit our shots consistently and had no solutions against their defense. They switched all and we relied too much on our three pointer. On offense, they could do what they wanted. We also couldn´t match their physicality”, stated Malik Idbihi. The Dragons Rhondorf also had problems containing Leitershofen´s veterans Bobby Arthur Williams who hit very instrumental three´s as did ex easyCredit BBL player Joanic Bacoul. The club also got valuable support from young German Connor Anderson who had his Pro B break out with 11 points and also gave impulses on defense as did Jannik Westermeir who´s on ball defense gave Rhondorf´s guards fits. The club doesn´t have much time to think about the loss as they have the next game on Wednesday in Frankfurt and then are back at home against top team Fellbach on Saturday. They will have to be on their toes in the coming week. “We have to play better defense, be more aggressive and physical. We also have to find quicker solutions when our shots aren´t falling”, warned Malik Idbihi. As a young player, he has some veterans who are instrumental for the team and also his game like Canadian Mychael Paulo who can create a shot out of nothing or Sahmi “Dennis Rodman with a jump shot” Willoughby who once had a massive Kevin Love like game at Marietta (NCAA 3) against Baldwin Wallace of 22/24. “I love being teammates with both of them. Mychael is such a great player. He seemingly does everything right on the court. He hits shots and always makes the right decision. Sahmi hits shots and plays strong defense. It is a huge pleasure playing with both guys”, smiled Malik Idbihi. He is also teammates with many young guys. Last season it was Dusam Ilic, Carlo Schmid and David Bonning that made big strides in their games and this season, the club hopes it will be guys like Idbihi and Tom Viehofer.

Last season Malik Idbihi played with Team Bonn/Rhoendorf U19 team (Germany-NBBL) averaging 10.5ppg, 3.2rpg, 1.7apg, FGP: 42.3%, 3PT: 41.4%, FT: 83.3% and had good games against Giessen scoring 16 and 14 games while in the Pro B played 9 games averaging 1,8ppg and scored 8 points against Rostock already showing his talent at that level. This season his game really took off in the first 2 games as he came into the Leitershofen game averaging 11/5/4/1 stats. He had a solid 12/5/3 game against Erfurt and then upped his game against FC Bayern basketball with a very efficient 10/5/5/3 game in only 15 minutes and in the two games shot 36%. However against Leitershofen he was brought back down to reality as he had 2 points an 1 assist in 9,53 minutes and shot 0/6. “I wasn´t happy with my game. I missed all my shots and I rushed my shots. My shot release was too quick. I have to work on that. I have to make offensive decisions quicker. My defense was solid”, commented Malik Idbihi. His role is to play 15 + minutes coming from the bench, but his desire for more is huge. “I want to increase it. I´m very ambitious and want to play even better than what I have shown. My organizing got better over the summer., I´m playing the one more. It is all a learning process”, warned Malik Idbihi. Was his consistency in the first 2 games a surprise since he is still such a young player? “No not at all. Actually the way I played against Leitershofen was more surprising. I am super confident in my abilities. I had a bad game, but that is part of the game. I just have to jump back in the next game. I have that next game mentality”, warned Malik Idbihi. He will definitely have that chance on the weekend in the youth sector and this week when he battles many young talents in Frankfurt.

The EPG Baskets Have Best Start In Their Pro A History As Chase Johnson And His Teammates Are Playing For Tyren Moore The Rest Of The Way

Pic Credit: Angel King Media

Chase Forte (193-G-2001, college: Boston Coll.) is a 25 year old 193cm guard from North Carolina playing his rookie season overseas with German Pro A team EPG Baskets Koblenz. He began his basketball career at the Word Of God Christian Academy. He then was one year at the University of North Carolina – Asheville (NCAA) and then played 2 seasons at Gulf Coast State College (JUCO) averaging 13.0ppg, 4.4rpg, 5.9apg, 2.0spg, FGP: 47.8%, 3PT: 31.8%, FT: 54.1% and 20.1ppg, 3.9rpg, 5.8apg, 2.8spg, FGP: 44.4%, 3PT: 31.8%, FT: 61.4%. He then played a season at Northwestern State University (NCAA) averaging 9.8ppg, 4.3rpg, 3.8apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 48.0%, 3PT: 23.3%, FT: 53.7%. He then played a season at the University of South Dakota (NCAA) averaging 17.9ppg, 4.4rpg, 3.1apg, 1.9spg, FGP: 51.4%, 3PT: 32.3%, FT: 65.2%. He then added one more year at Boston College (NCAA) averaging : 6.0ppg, 2.4rpg, 2.8apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 33.3%, 3PT: 25.3%, FT: 59.5%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the massive 88-86 road win in Paderborn

Congrats on the big 88-86 win in Paderborn. The team is 3-1 and have their greatest Pro A start in history. How good does that feel as a rookie?

It feels really good. We really expect wins like this. We have big goals. Obviously with Ty Moore out, it isn´t easy. We have to keep going. The league won´t feel sorry for us and we won´t feel sorry for ourselves either.

How proud are you winning the second game in a row without Tyren Moore. Do you guys have that “We are playing for Tyren Moore” attitude?

Yes we are. I remember last night when Badu Buck had us in a huddle before we all got on the bus, he said “We got this win done for him. We are playing for him”. We were all at a loss of words when it was announced that he was done for the season. In our last interview, I told you that we were all wishing him a speedy recovery before knowing how bad his injury really was. We didn´t expect it. It is just amazing to see how all stuck together with 16 down and battling back to win.

How was the bus ride home? Was it more relaxed or was there some celebrating?

It was relaxed. We did our celebrating on the court and in the locker room. On the bus, it was over. We can´t live in the past. We have that next game mentality.

What was the game plan coming in? The team was known as a three point shooting team. They didn´t disappoint heaving it 47 times?

Containing Worku was our biggest game plan. He was my match up. He can shoot the ball, but is also a great creator for their offense. I contained him well. He only scored 4 points. We elected to have other guys try to beat us.

You began the game again as main point guard with no Tyren Moore. Was there less pressure than against Artland or were you totally locked in?

I was totally locked in. I´m used to running the show. Playmaking is really my biggest strength. My shot still isn´t falling and when that happens, then I have to find other ways to impact the game and help my team win.

Paderborn led 23-15 after 10 minutes. They really began hit three´s toward the end, but also found the way to the rim getting easy baskets. What was defensively the biggest problem for the EPG Baskets in the first 10 minutes?

We played the drive a lot and they hit crazy shots. Silic hit some crazy step back three´s. We tried to contest them as best as we could. Gille tried to close out while staying on the side to force the drive. As a result we forced turnovers. We hit a buzzer beater at the end which helped us stay in the game.

In the second quarter a big strength was the fighting qualities of the EPG Baskets. The score was only 43-38, but the deficit could have been 10-15 if Camaron Tongue and Ferenc Gille hadn´t made timely baskets? As a rookie did a quarter like this help your leadership qualities grow?

Yes absolutely. We weren´t hitting shots, so I had to find other ways to get guys engaged. I kept telling my teammates that our run was coming.

What was it like battling against Jonil Fugett. He is another guy who is working his way up the ladder and has big potential. Did he feel your physicality at times?

He definitely felt my physicality. It wasn´t a problem guarding him for me.

How big was the energy needed from German Jannis Sonnefeld? He made a 7-0 run all by himself with 2 dunks. How big was that then at that moment?

Jannis´s energy at that moment was so important for us. My favorite play was his put back dunk in that phase. That really got us hyped. He gave us great support and that was the turning point of the game.

How much does the presence of Camaron Tongue benefit his game?

It helps a lot. Iron sharpens iron. They go at it in practice daily and that helps both guys. Both are key players for us.

The EPG Baskets Koblenz kept fighting and trailed only 68-67 after 30 minutes thanks to a big Jonas Niedermanner trey. What did head coach Stephan Dohrn tell the team for the fourth quarter?

He just told us to finish the game strong and that in no way did we want a copy of the Nurnberg game. We had to make sure that we stay together.

In the third quarter rookie Camaron Tongue scored 3 baskets in a row and after 4 games is the team´s most consistent player. Did you see this type of development when you arrived in August?

He has been awesome and we appreciate it so much what he does night in and night out for us. He has been playing like that since he got here and he is just healthy now and it shows.

In crunch time, Koblenz made a run to get the 88-83 lead, but they stormed back with a Fugett trey, but you then made a big stop on Eyassu Worku. What was key at the end for the win?

I think staying together and sharing the ball well at the end was key. Our stop of Worku at the end was big even if it could have been a foul. All in all though, we were a bit sloppy at the end of the game. We turned the ball over and let Worku go coast to coast, but Tongue made a big play and walled up. We can´t let that happen to a player like that at the end of the game. We still made big plays starting with a Gille offensive rebound lay up and mid range shots by Diculesciú and I and got 3 stops.

What was the key stat? Winning the rebound battle, 8 turnovers or having 74-49 more shots?

We did a good job with getting offensive rebounds and forcing 17 turnovers, but I think the key stat was having the extra possessions and having 25 more shots.

You had a 6/4/8 game but shot 2/10 from the field. What was your summary of your game?

Like I said in our last interview, if my shot isn´t falling, then I have to find other ways to help us win. I can´t cry about my shot not falling. I just have to get up more shots in the gym. I did my job leading the team to victory. I had 8 assists and 0 turnovers. I can be happy about that.

What will you work on most this week?

I will work a lot this week on finishing through contact. I also want to work on my mid range more. I used it at the perfect time yesterday. I want to use it more. I respect the league and continue to get up reps.

How will you spend your Sunday night? Will NFL football be on the program?

I will watch a little NFL. I couldn´t check the schedule much yet, because I was so focused on game yesterday. My team are the Colts.

But your from North Carolina and not Indianapolis?

That is correct. Most people in North Carolina like the Panthers, but I just grew up loving Payton Manning.

Thanks Chase for the chat.

Gabriel Jung So Far Took The Biggest Step In His Career In Wulfen Where He Learned How To Be A Leader

Pic Credit: Fabian Heyn

Gabriel Jung (185-PG-2001) is a 25 year old 186cm guard that played the 2025-2026 season with the ETB Miners Essen (ProB) averaging 6.6ppg, 1.7rpg, 2.4apg, 1.0spg, FGP: 41.3%, 3PT: 29.4%, FT: 86.8% and helping the team win the 2026 Pro B title. He began his basketball career in the Phoenix Hagen organization playing NBBL and also with Regionalliga team Hagen-Haspe. He got his first Pro B experience with the VfL SparkassenStars Bochum (ProB) and also played with Regionalliga team Herten. He played with Regionalliga team BSV Wulfen from 2022-2025 playing a total of 82 games and averaged 12/3/3 stats in the 3 seasons. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his basketball career.

You played with Phoenix Hagen Juniors (NBBL)from 2017-2020. How do you remember these years? Did you have a kind of mentor then?

Yes these years were very important for my development as a player. Actually I wouldn´t say that I had a mentor there since you play with new guys every season, but some of them I faced during this season and I had a good relationship with them.

In your last 2 NBBL years in Hagen you averaged 11.0ppg, 3.4rpg, 3.0apg, 2.2spg, FGP: 44.8%, 3PT: 27.8%, FT: 51.7% and 15.3ppg, 3.3rpg, 3.1apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 52.5%, 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 85.0%. How did your game grow further in the NBBL?

In the NBBL I learned how to fit in different systems and to take different roles on a team. As a younger player you just try to deliver in the minutes you get. And as you get older you learn how to take responsibility and maybe even lead a team.

You also played a season with SV Hagen-Haspe 70 (Regionalliga) averaging 4.1ppg, 1.2rpg, 1.1apg. How vital was this season playing with men?

It was my first season in the senior league and I got to know the physical part of playing against men. How much quicker the game is and how much more work you have to put in to survive.

How vital was American point guard Jordan Rose? What could you soak up from his game then?

Jordan was the first real vet I had that tried to teach me a couple of things. He is a really shifty guard which I like and I tried to add to my game, but generally just how he plays with patience was my biggest take away.

You then played parts of 2 seasons with Bochum and helped the team move up to the Pro A in 2021. What was so special about that team?

With successfull teams the team chemistry plays a big role. In that team everyone knew his role and played it perfectly.

How valuable was being teammates with top German Pro A point guard Niklas Geske? How vital were his leadership skills? What could you take from his game?

Niklas just showed professionalism and discipline in every workout and every game. It just showed me the consistency you need to play on a high level for such a long time. Basketball wise it´s just incredible to see how he gets everyone involved but knows also when to take over and score on his own.

The next season you played with the Hertener Loewen Basketball (Regionalliga) averaging 9.1ppg, 1.7rpg, 2.1apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 43.8%, 3PT: 23.5%, FT: 82.0%. This was your break out season. How valuable was this season for your basketball development? You finished the season really strong?

I wouldn´t really say that this was my breakout season. This season was important for me since I got to an age where I needed to learn to take more responsibility and I got the chance in Herten in the 1. Regionalliga, but since it was my first season I really struggled with that role, which was also helpful for me as a player.

You then played 3 seasons with BSV Wulfen (Regionalliga) averaging 11.9ppg, 3.7rpg, 3.4apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 49.0%, 3PT: 28.0%, FT: 73.7%, 11.9ppg, 2.8rpg, 2.7apg, FGP: 42.5%, 3PT: 30.3%, FT: 72.0%, and 12.3ppg, 3.2rpg, 3.9apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 44.3%, 3PT: 29.4%, FT: 72.9%. You demonstrated incredible consistency. What kind of a player did you become there?

In Wulfen I think I took the biggest steps in my career. I learned what it meant to be the leader on the court as the point guard and how to develop my game to help my team.

How vital was a player Juhwan Harris-Dyson? How did he help your defensive game most?

Juhwan came to the team when we were in a difficult situation and from there on we could turn it around. The energy he showed in every game and every practice and just the dedication to make life difficult for his opponent helped the team tremendously.

You then came to the ETB Miners Essen. Was that the best decision in your basketball life?

I feel like I made a couple of good decisions in my career and how the move to Essen turned out it seems like it was one of them

What is the next step for you?

Not sure right now. I’m trying to focus and lay the foundation for life after basketball at the moment.

Who is the toughest player that you ever faced in your career that reached the NBA or Euroleague?

I don´t think I ever played against current NBA or Euroleague players

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

Tobias Wegmann, Tarik Jakupovic, Nils Peters, Niclas Sperber, Ben Uzoma

Who is your GOAT?

Kyrie Irving.

Thanks Gabriel for the chat.

Playing In The NCAA And Meeting Kevin Durant Are On Milo Murray’s Bucket List

Pic Credit: ratiopharm Ulm

Milo Murray (199-G-2007) is a 19 year old 198cm forward playing with the Rostock Seawolves Academy (Germany-ProB). Last season he played with Orange Academy Ulm (Germany-ProB) averaging 3.9ppg, 1.3rpg, played also at BBU 01 Ulm (Germany-Regionalliga) averaging 9.0ppg, 3.4rpg, 1.4apg, FGP: 50.9%, 3PT: 20.8%, FT: 55.6%, played also at ratiopharm Ulm U19 team (Germany-NBBL) averaging 12.5ppg, 4.4rpg, 2.2apg, FGP: 56.8%, 3PT: 25.5%, FT: 62.1%. In 2024-2025 he played 5 Pro B games with Orange Academy averaging 3.4ppg, 2.4rpg, played also at ratiopharm Ulm U19 team (NBBL) averaging 7.5ppg, 2.3rpg, 1.4apg, 2FGP: 56.7%, 3PT: 27.6%, FT: 72.2%, played also at BBU 01 Ulm (Regionalliga) averaging 8.4ppg, 2.3rpg, 1.1apg, 2FGP: 40.9%, 3PT: 30.6%, FT: 60.0%. He also played also ANGT with ratiopharm Ulm U18 team (ANGT) winning the title averaging 4.3ppg, 2.0rpg, 2FGP: 42.9%, 3PT: 14.3%, FT: 50.0%. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his time with the ratiopharm Ulm organization during the 2025-2026 season.

Thanks Milo for talking to germanhoops.com. You also have had success in the Pro B as the team keeps rolling in the playoffs. What is it like playing for the Pro B team? You only average 10,0 minutes. What kind of a role did you have in the Pro B with Orange Academy?

Pro B my role looks a lot different. I have the ball less in my hands and have to find a way to impact the team without necessarily having the ball. I’ve improved my catch and shoot three point shot a lot in comparison to the last years and I do what I need to do to stay on the floor under coach Flo. 3 and D sort of guy I would say

What do you believe is the biggest strength of the Orange Academy team? How vital is the combination of experience and youth in one?

We are young, but we run fast get along with each other and have a structured system that allows us to be successful night in a night out. Experience is important with veterans in our team like Marko Dordevic and Lenni Kunzewitsch. We are able to stay serious even though we are a young development team. ULM has done a great job putting this roster together.

One player I really like is Swiss army knife Joel Cwik. What do you appreciate most from his game?

Joel is an important factor to the team he brings a presence on defense and has really stepped up his offensive game this year allowing him to be more versatile and keeping the defense and offense on their toes also a guy I get along with one and off the court quite a lot.

What have you enjoyed most about the Milicic brothers Teo and Zoran? How competitive are these 2 guys?

They are great guys to have on your team. Zoki and Teo are both guards that bring high IQ a great feel for the game and are responsible for a lot of the great team chemistry we have going on. Both of them are great competitors on the court and bring a fire mentality especially in big games.

Teo Milicic is an unbelievable talented player, but how mature is his mentality at this level already?

Teo is an amazing talent who can score pass but one of his most underrated aspects is his leadership despite his young age he continues to lead us on the court and feed us and put us in great positions Me as a wing player I enjoy playing with him because he reads the defenses and sets guys up while being able to create for himself too.

You also play with the Ulm Regionalliga team and play heavy minutes. Is this an opportunity for you to work on other aspects of your game?

Yes, definitely Regio is a time to work on your game while also taking it seriously. It is great because you play with a bunch of different guys ages ranging from our youngest guy Marko Volf to our oldest Lenni. it has helped me mature because at the end of the day it is a men’s league and being able to compete against all the guys is always beneficial

Last season you were teammates with Jervis Scheffs who moved on to Wurzburg. You guys have similar games. What was your fondest moment with him?

Jervis is a tremendous player who I’ve learnt a great deal from. He can tell you himself the amount of times we have played against each other one on one late at night early in the mornings and the hours that we have put in together bettering our games on the court. We spent a lot of time off the court too and he’ll be one of my greatest friends for a long time. His mid range game really is something you don’t see a lot. My fondest moment with Jervis was probably the times in the summer playing national team and those long journeys on the train

You played some years for the German youth national team, but now play for the UK. Why did you make that change?

Germany and the UK have very different playing styles and systems. The UK relies much more on little set plays whereas Germany plays very fast in transition shoots tons of three pointers and is a heavy guard orientated system. I enjoyed playing for both and will have all my teammates and coaches who have played with for both teams in mind for a long time

You played at the 2024 AST in Mannheim averaging 4.7ppg, 1.7rpg. What memories do you have playing for Dirk Bauermann? Was it challenging playing for such a legend?

Dirk Bauermann was one of the most experienced coaches I’ve ever played under. His philosophy was very interesting to be able to learn and is playing a tournament like the AST and being part of such a talented squad will always be an honur for me. My best games were against Italy and Egypt both dropping 10 points.

You also played at the FIBA U17 World Cup in Istanbul (Turkey) -2024 averaging 2.8ppg, 1.4rpg. What memories do you have of that tournament playing on such a big stage?

Istanbul was an experience of a lifetime seeing all these great players with names who are entering the NBA draft this year and playing on the team with some high level German talent. I think a lot of of those guys playing in that tournament will have a long career whether that is in the NBA Euro league or Euro cup I will look forward to playing some of these guys in the near future

In 2024 you played Adidas Next gen with Ulm and was teammates with Noa Essengue and played against Real Madrid and Hugo Gonzalez. What do you remember personally taking from that tournament?

That tournament was full of great players. I remember in Berlin watching the final match up between Madrid and a strong INSEP team a lot of great players who are making noise in the NBA right now Egor Demin being a guy who’s game I really appreciate.

You played at the 2025 FIBA U18 EuroBasket Division B in Romania -2025:playing 7 games averaging 3.6ppg. How is the state of youth basketball in the UK? What young guys from the UK can we look for in the future?

The state of basketball in the UK, especially in the youth differentiates itself a lot from that of which occurs in the rest of Europe. It’s still got a long way to go in terms of reaching the standards that we witness across Europe. But there are some amazing coaches out there who do everything to make sure it continues to grow. My childhood coach and longtime mentor is Coach Isaac Omirin who has been such a key in my development and I wouldn’t be in this position if he wasn’t there. Obinna Ekufu, Tejan Rugette, Emmanuel Ahamefule are 3 young players I enjoy playing with and have extremely bright futures ahead of them. Jack Walton my 2nd favourite point guard (after Dante Patel) who’s game is top tier. Kimbe N’Gabala a young player who’s work ethic I really like is one to keep an eye on too.

Your 18 years old. What are your biggest goals as a player in the next years?

At the top of the list is definitely to play in a great division one system in America playing a high major school in front of the crowds and making my family proud of things that I’ve dreamt about as a kid

Who was the toughest player that you faced in your career that reached the NBA?

Pacome Dadiet a great friend of mine who now plays for the New York Knicks it’s definitely one of those players who I had a lot of trouble guarding while playing one V one or in the practices for ANGT. Flynn Broadmann Raffet is a player who isn’t in the NBA but now plays in the SLB putting up ridiculous numbers in the UK and is a player I could never figure out.

Please name your 5 teammates of all-time?

No particular oder – Tejan Rugette, Dante Patel, Ay-Dan Moloney, Jervis Scheffs, Endurance Aiyamenkhue are my favourite teammates of all time. Special mention to Niko Jerkic and Oliver Kullamae some of my favourite hoopers who’s games I could watch on and on!

Please list your personal NBA and German Mount Rushmore of 4 best players of all-time?

Personal NBA is my list not necessarily the greatest but my favourite. Kevin Durant, Kevin Garnett, Carmelo Anthony, Brandon Roy, German – Dennis Schröder, Franz Wagner, Isaac Bong and of course Dirk Nowitzki

Who is your GOAT?

.My goat is most definitely Kevin Durant, I’ve always enjoyed his game how he gets to his sports in the mid range his ability to close out games and I’m most especially appreciate his workout videos where you can see in detail how he betters his game and how every repetition looks identical. One guy that definitely aspires me to meet one day and have a conversation with.

Thanks Milo for the chat.

Physical Rim Protector Ray Somerville(Neptunas Klaipeda) Is The Classic Defensive Rim Protector Looking To Make The Next Step Overseas

Raymond Somerville (211-C/F-2000, college: Delaware St.) is a 26 year old 211cm forward/center from Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania playing his second pro season and first with Neptunas Klaipeda (Lithuania-LKL). Last season he played his rookie season with KK TFT Skopje (North Macedonia-Super League) averaging 7.7ppg, 5.8rpg, Blocks-4 (1.3bpg), FGP: 59.7%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 64.4%. He began his basketball career at the Shipley School and then played at California State University from 2020-2022 an dthen played at Delaware State University from 2022-2025. He spoke to germanhoops.com before a Eurocup game against the Niners Chemnitz.

Thanks Ray for talking to germanhoops.com. Your playing your second pro season overseas and first with Neptunas Klaipeda (Lithuania-LKL). How blessed do you feel to be playing overseas and Eurocup a top league in Europe?

I am grateful for the opportunity to be at this wearing a Neptunas jersey and thankful to them for giving me the opportunity to play here. I’m thankful to all my teammates and coaches and family members, and everyone that supported me along the way.

After your rookie season in North Macedonia, now your in crazy basketball country Lithuania. How have you experienced the love for basketball so far in Lithuania?

While I am still new to the experience, what I’ll say so far is that the fans and community here are the best. To have such strong support in the arena and the city makes everything just better. We also have a development program and the kids are always excited to see us on our way to practice and on the way home.

What were the main reasons for joining Neptunas Klaipeda (Lithuania-LKL). What is your main goal with your game?

I joined this team for the opportunity to compete at a high level everyday both in practice and in games. Along with the ability to learn and grow my IQ for the game. For me at this point I know I haven’t actualized my full potential with basketball. I think that there’s a lot more for me to go in terms of both on and off the floor with learning how this game works and being a professional.

How vital has it been having 2 big man vets like Einaras Tubutis and Martynas Echodas? How have you gotten adjusted playing and learning from them?

It has been great like I said working with and against Tubutis and Echodas has been great. It’s been a great learning experience in the time that we have been able to practice together. Being able to watch, ask and then figure out certain moves or actions with two high level players is exactly what I need.

Let´s talk about your game. You’re a 211cm center. If you had to compare your game to a NBA player who would best fit the description?

I think that is kind of difficult because NBA players play their roles at the highest of elite levels but if I were to say anybody, I feel like somewhere around Mitchell Robert and Nick Claxton with the fact of this rim protection to be a pick-and-roll five

You’re the classic rim protector that can rebound well. You have never averaged double figures in scoring in the NCAA or overseas. Is becoming more of a scoring threat a goal of yours?

Becoming a great basketball player is my goal. I mean, I think scoring will become a part of it and give me a broader skillset but that’s never been my role and that’s never been a role that I gravitated towards. I love my role and I love what I can bring to teams.

What other strengths does your game incorporate? How is your passing out of the post?

I believe my physical tools are my best attribute. I am a fast center and can create things for my team with just movement or good screens. My post passing is definitely something that has been developing and I’ll be able to work on but to be honest, I am not a traditional post-up big. I try to focus on understanding my teammates and by them communicating where they’re at to make everything simpler

Your the classic rim protector that can also block shots well. What kind of a defender are you now and what kind of a defender do you still want to become?

I’ve always believed that my best role is being an anchor for a defense. Somebody that my teammates can rely on in to protect the paint while also be able to switch and guard on the perimeter. My switching defense is the next step that I want to work on. I want to work on being comfortable learning how to adjust my guarding to this level and be able to stop any single person on the floor no matter who it is because I do believe I have the capability to do so.

On what areas of your game are you working on most now so you can continue to improve your game?

I would say my biggest thing is just consistency. Consistency is the biggest thing and then you know these increasing levels of basketball, you get to learn more about the smaller details and understanding the ins and outs of cuts and spacing and where to move on the floor, I’d say for me, my biggest thing to work on is understanding and mastering the short roll game.

Last season as a rookie you played with KK TFT Skopje (North Macedonia-Super League) averaging 7.7ppg, 5.8rpg, Blocks-4 (1.3bpg), FGP: 59.7%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 64.4%; Adriatic League 2 averaged 7.1ppg, 5.6rpg, Blocks-1 (1.4bpg), FGP: 68.9%, FT: 56.4%. What do you remember being your wake up call to being overseas where you knew that you were far away from home?

Overseas, I think for me, that experience came with the blend of being in TFT Skopje. It was a great experience with my teammates and then the culture and everybody. A big piece was having Darren Govens and Stanley Davis Jr. They’re from Delaware County, Pennsylvania, just like me having that familiarity eased things. I guess the realization came in December. There was a short period of time I had a break and without going too far, a few life things didn’t go my way and it was kind of at that point time. I realize I’m out here on my own so I have to make the most of it

How vital was it having a veteran and allrounder around in Justin Gordon? Was he like a mentor for you?

Yeah, so funny enough, Justin was the other piece of that puzzle. When it came to the familiarity, he was our other import from North Carolina and having him around was a major piece of understanding how to be a professional the way he carried himself and the way he treated his body was, I mean, it was great to be able to learn from and see, because that’s something that I had to take away and it’s the biggest piece of my game that I understood.

You beat Madzari in the playoffs and then lost to Pelister in 3games. What did you learn from your first pro playoff series?

At that point, I think that would’ve been about our fourth or fifth playoff series after all our ABA 2 playoffs, but with that the main thing I learned is adjustments and consistency are the two biggest things to be able to win games being able to adjust on the fly and react to teams, whatever teams do well or whatever teams don’t do well and also learning to just move on not only from the next play or from the next game, you can’t allow the emotions of one game to drag into the next and you can’t allow the emotions in the eyes of one lead to the next year

You were 3 years at California State University Bakersfield (NCAA) and only played 16 games. How challenging were these 3 years especially mentally? What positives could you get out of it?

I would say those three years brought a lot of challenges, but I don’t necessarily look at them as challenges, just obstacles. When I decided to go to Bakersfield I went because the staff there had everything I needed to develop and become a high level basketball player. I am thankful because I look back and know that they gave me the formula for success. I’d say the challenging parts came from just having to understand that it wasn’t my time and I was young, so it was frustrating. I think that was the biggest hurdle for me to overcome. They taught me how to become a pro. I just wasn’t able to recognize it.

You then moved to Delaware State University (NCAA) averaging 4.9ppg, 3.6rpg, 1.2bpg
, 3.4ppg, 2.6rpg and. 3.1ppg, 2.1rpg. How did you experience these three years as a player. What was surprising your minutes dipped every season from start to end.

For me, that moved when I left Bakersfield and moved to Del State it was for the opportunity, one, to be a part of the rotation, but I also moved there to help start and reestablish a culture, successful culture that builds good men and a good basketball program, and on the second, I’m glad to say that I was a major piece in getting that done and in my time there my minutes and all my play on the floor didn’t necessarily reflect what I wanted to get done or achieve I still was able to make an impact. Dealing with my father’s health and death at the time led to me not being able to focus on basketball or much of anything outside of that really, I call it a secondary lesson, having to learn that now wasn’t the time, but in terms of those things, I just move forward

You had great games against Lamar and Norfolk State in losing causes. What was your fondest moment on the court at Delaware State?

I would say my most enjoyable moment on the floor probably would’ve come from our run in the MEAC tournament in 25′ after we had finally gotten through a somewhat rocky season, but we were able to pull through and show that we were a good team and then we were able to get down to our conference tournament and make a run while unfortunately, we weren’t able to win the championship and win the crown it still was a great experience just being able to be consumed by basketball with nothing but the guys I’ve called my brothers for the past two years

How did head coach Stan Waterman groom and prepare you for a pro career?

I am thankful to Coach Waterman for the time we spent together. For me, I was able to learn a new side of how players can interact with coaches and coaching styles.

Who won a 1-1 in practice you or Alston Andrews?

I figure, out of the fairness and respect I have for AA, I’ll say it’s even. He had some days where he got me and I had some days where I was pretty decent but beyond that was honestly one of my greatest teammates, and I still look at him as a brother to this day and I’m wishing the best for him

Who is the toughest player that you ever face din the NCAA that reached the NBA?

I played against a lot of people that have now or have played in the NBA Funny enough, I think the toughest experience didn’t come from college, but from my first year playing varsity basketball. I ended up playing against Mo Bamba when he was the number-three-ranked player in his class as a senior and I think that was a tough experience, but although it was tough, it was great because I wasn’t scared but when you do that at 16, not much else really scares you.

Please name your 5 best teammates of all-time?

Okay, but some of these are skill and some are family.

Sam Sessoms

Taze Moore

Kyle Johnson

Stanley Davis

K’vonn Cramer

Who is your personal NBA Mount Rushmore?

Kevin Garnett, LeBron, Shaq, Kyrie

Who is your GOAT?

LeBron without a doubt

Did you see the sequel to the classic Coming To America? Shouldn´t they have left it alone?

No, I did not watch the sequel. I’m going to be honest, I didn’t even watch the original.

Thanks Ray for the chat.

A Pretty Drawing From Melia And A Victory Was A Perfect Sunday For Chase Forte Johnson(EPG Baskets Koblenz)

The scenario in the EPG arena last night looked like it was 7 days ago after the first win of the season against Bayreuth. The boys of head coach Stephan Dohrn had done it again this time beating the Artland Dragons 92-80 and thus registering their best start in their 4 year Pro A history moving to 2-1. In the first three seasons the club had always started 1-2. But what made this second win all so more impressive was how they did it. The team kept their mentality very focused after losing a tough game on the road on Friday and they also were able to play successfully without starting point guard Tyren Moore who had injured himself in Nurnberg 48 hours earlier. After the buzzer sounded, the typical post game ritual was alive in the arena, but like a week ago everyone affiliated with the EPG Baskets were so thrilled and the mood was just golden. With so many happy faces many could have thought it was a very special occasion, but it was only the third game of the season. But despite that having such a positive vibe again was so refreshing after so many heartache loses in their living room the last years. One guy who was really happy was rookie Chase Johnson. He took a seat next to me for a post game interview and was just taking in the atmosphere. But there was something else that had really tickled his heart and that was a pretty drawing from a little girl named Melia. She drew a pretty portrait of him without the dreads. “I got this wonderful drawing after the game from a little girl. She drew it for me. I´m beyond happy. I have a son myself who is 7 months old, but to get a gift like this from a young fan is so nice. I will frame it”, stressed Chase Forte (193-G-2001, college: Boston Coll.). I found out later that night that Melia was the daughter of EPG Baskets ultra fan Pat Montana who is always heating up the arena with his support.

When I got to the arena 2 hours before the game, all was still good. I get nervous sometimes when I see players not in uniform while warming up. I saw Buzz Anthony in sweats, I first thought that he wouldn´t play, but when I asked him if he would play or not, he just smiled and said that he was just warming up in sweats. However but when I saw Tyren Moore sitting on the bench not in uniform during warm ups, I got a feeling that he wouldn´t play. Koblenz head coach Stephan Dohrn then confirmed to me shortly before the pre game interview for Sport TV Europe that he would be a scratch. What a blow for the club as well for him. He is an overseas rookie who got injured in Nurnberg on Friday and then had his birthday on Saturday where he turned 25 years old. It is tough tough times for him, but something he can deal with. “Obviously this situation is tough for Tyren, but he is a tough kid. He has a strong mentality and I´m sure he will get through it. I wish him a speedy recovery”, stated Chase Forte. It is never easy for a team to perform when a vital player is injured, but the EPG Baskets Koblenz supplied that next man up mentality and really came away with an incredible display of basketball. “This was really high level and attractive basketball that we saw from the EPG Baskets”, stated sport director Thomas Klein. Despite a weak second quarter, the team always stuck together and played a potent second half never allowing the Artland Dragons to come back and get over the hump. “This win felt really good. We had the right mind set coming into a new game. We wanted to take that energy from our comeback attempt in Nurnberg and take it into the next game. I´m really proud of the guys. That second quarter was the story of our season. There is always a weak quarter for us. We adjusted well after the break and put different match ups on Jonathan Klussmann and it worked. Mason Kraus was great off the bench, and Jayden Williams knocked down shots. We cleaned up some stuff and won by 12 at home. It was a complete team effort. After Klussmann got hot, we decided to contain everyone else. We knew that Klussman couldn´t beat us by himself”, stressed Chase Forte.

When looking at the team stats, the EPG Baskets Koblenz did a great job shooting 44% from the 2 point area and 39% from the parking lot while winning the rebound duel 32-29 and offensive rebounds 10-6 and only coughed up the ball 8 times. The team was led by Jayden “the Microwave” Williams with 26 points on 5/5 shooting and 3 other guys scored in double figures. Mason Kraus had his Pro A break through with 13 points and 4 dimes while American rookie Camaron Tongue continued to show his inside out and consistent game adding a 12/8/1/3/1 game. In the first 3 games Tongue is averaging 16/4/1/1 while shooting 38% from outside. “Mason Kraus has been so valuable for us at both ends. He hit big shots, made free throws, getting steals and deflections. He does simply everything. I´m so proud of him while Camaron Tongue has been amazing. He is a rim protector that gets stops. We know that we can throw up the ball to him into the post anytime. That puts less pressure on us and we let him go to work. He is very impactful at both ends”, warned Chase Forte. For overseas rookie Chase Forte, he has come to terms well with Euro Ball as the toughest thing really are the rules. He is a mix of Jrue Holiday and Derrick White and is the anchor on defense something he had last season at Boston College (NCAA). “My role is to get stops, make the right plays and simply do everything needed to win. I want to win a Pro A title”, stressed Chase Johnson. Currently through 3 games he is averaging 10,7ppg, 3,3rpg, 5,3apg and 1,7spg and knows where he still needs to improve on. “I want to get better off ball. I think I have been well on the rotations and pressuring guards. I watched a lot of film on Buzz Anthony and knew what was coming”, smiled Chase Johnson. He has made some real dream passes in his new Koblenz living room and none was better than his perfect timed Bounce pass in the Bayreuth game that looked like a copy of a Luca Doncic pass. “I´m an underrated passer. I think coach Stephan had no idea how good of a playmaker I can be. He only realized later that I can pass the ball. I watch a lot of Luca Donic, Chris Paul and John Wall”, said Chase Forte. Not only on the court is Chase ´Forte having fun, but also off the court. He loves the beauty of Koblenz and the German corner and loves the German chocolate, Doner and typical hog dog called Brat Wurst. But what is most impressive besides his game is his zeal of learning German. “I have Duo Lingo on my phone. I´m learning phrases. I can order food. Ich mochte ein Schinken und Salami Pizza bitte”, stated ´Chase Forte. It will be interesting to see how his game and German continues to improve this season. He has the right focus and enthusiasm to reach great heights this season.

Jayden Williams Turns On The Microwave Powering The EPG Baskets Koblenz To 92-80 Victory Over The Artland Dragons

The EPG Baskets Koblenz finally did that what they did in their Pro A debut 3 seasons ago this season and that was winning their first game of the season which was a high scoring explosion against Bayreuth. However the club hit reality big time again something that haunted them so much the last years when they followed up a big win with a loss. The EPG Baskets Koblenz traveled to Nurnberg 48 hours ago and lost 85-75 and saw that when their offense isn´t on, it will be difficult to win. Their three pointer didn´t fall and they had massive problems taking care of the ball. Koblenz had to show their true colors against Artland as they followed up the 91-87 loss to Giessen with a big 81-69 win over BG Goetingen totally buckling down on defense. The EPG Baskets Koblenz needed to be wicked sharp and get their offense rolling again and find a way to string along more stops. On a mild early fall day, the EPG Baskets Koblenz came into their living room without their starting point guard Tyren Moore who had injured himself in Nurnberg 48 hours earlier, but still stuck together for 40 minutes and played good team basketball and played a solid second half never allowing the Artland Dragons over the hump winning 92-80 and improving their record to 2-1. “It was a great team effort. We all came together for 40 minutes. We gave good energy in our comeback attempt in Nurnberg and wanted to take that into this game and did. We played more to being ourselves than not. Playing defense was a lot of fun and switching a lot. We played aggressive defense forcing them to tough lay ups and mid range shots”, stressed EPG Baskets Koblenz American Jayden Williams (198-F-2003, college: Dartmouth). The Artland Dragons didn´t bring their A game or their energy from their big win against BG Goettingen 48 hours ago. “This wasn´t a good game from us. We had no energy and weren´t able to execute our game plan”, stressed Artland Dragons guard Dominic Dolic. One guy who was totally thrilled was EPG Baskets Koblenz sport director Thomas Klein who hasn´t been used to winning so much in the last years. “That was a very high level attractive basketball game. We were aggressive at both ends and a great team effort. They all stayed together”, added Thomas Klein.

Ferenc Gille at the FT line

Both teams came out aggressive in the first minutes as there was little scoring seen, but more missed shots. Ex Dragon Rhondorf center Ferenc Gille gave Koblenz early energy with a few baskets while Artland got baskets from German Elijah Ndi and Canadian overseas rookie Jamal Fuller to tie the game 4-4. However the EPG Baskets Koblenz had the better offensive execution and were able to get into better position to score. Canadian rookie Mason Kraus added 5 free throws while Jayden Williams displayed his microwave abilities nailing back to back three´s off the bench for the 18-8 advantage. Koblenz was doing a great job stopping Artland´s pick and role with leader Buzz Anthony while dangerous scorer Jonathan Klussmann couldn´t find his spots due to tezhnaggressive on man defense from Koblenz. The Artland Dragons were already showing early that they couldn´t match the intensity of Koblenz as well as coming to terms with the physicality and switching on defense. Ex Trier forward Jannis Sonnefeld added free throws and ex Kirchheim forward Jonas Niedermanner made a basket in the last seconds to secure Koblenz the comfortable 22-12 lead after 10 minutes. Then point guard duo of Mason Kraus and Chase Johnson also sparkled as both were able to make an impact at both ends. “That was great defense. I never saw better defense than that from our team. Our pick and roll defense was great. Our 1-1 defense was also incredible. Our rotations were good. Our offense was ok”, added Thomas Klein. The EPG Baskets Koblenz shot 40% from the 2 point area and 33% from outside and had 9 rebounds and 1 turnover while the Artland Dragons shot 36% from the 2 point area and 0% from outside and had 10 rebounds and 5 turnovers.

Elijah Ndi from outside

That basketball is a game of runs is no secret in basketball as in the second quarter the Artland Dragons found better to their offense game and got back into the game and trailed only 46-38 at half-time. Koblenz began well getting a jumper from ex Santa Clara (NCAA) center Camaron Tongue and a lay in from Chase Johnson, but that didn´t faze the guests as they finally let it ran three´s as Klussmann connected twice and Anthony once as Koblenz only led 26-22. However Artland still wasn´t able to get over the hump as Koblenz continued to punch as did Klussmann. Klussmann was hot and also showed his mid range game scoring twice, but Koblenz countered with a Kraus trey and pretty fade away jumper from Tongue as Koblenz had the slim 32-26 lead. Both teams were executing very well on offense as Koblenz´s aggressiveness had worn off a bit and Klussman was getting to his spots better and not getting bumped around as much. The Artland Dragons then had a strong 2 minute faze stringing along stops and suddenly had tied the game 37-37. They got energy from the bench from ex Speyer forward Dejan Bruce with a lay in, 15 footer from Anthony and a trey from Klussmann. However the close game moved from that to a 8 point lead out of seemingly nothing for Koblenz as Jayden Williams unleashed the microwave exploding with 3 three´s at the end. Williams finished with a Pro A career high 26 points and 5/5 from outside. “I was feeling it today. But my teammates were putting me in great position today. I felt like a microwave”, smiled Jayden Williams. “Jayden played great. All his shots were contested or on the move. Plus he played real aggressive defense on Klussmann and Bohannon”, stated Thomas Klein. The EPG Baskets Koblenz led 46-38 at the break. “Klussmann brought Artland into the flow. He had too much room. They were more aggressive while we were less aggressive”, commented Thomas Klein. The EPG Baskets Koblenz shot 38% from the 2 point area and 40% from the three point line and had 19 rebounds and 1 turnover while the Artland Dragons shot 50% from the 2 point area and 27% from the three point line and had 20 rebounds and 7 turnovers.

Alex Moeller with the lay in

In the third quarter the EPG Baskets Koblenz had their best scoring 10 minutes scoring 28 points while the Artland Dragons weren´t too shabby either scoring 25 points, but still trailed 74-63 after 30 minutes. It was a quarter of both teams punching back and forth. Ex Clemson (NCAA) forward Naz Bohannon scored twice in the first minutes as he got good position and scored while Koblenz continued to share the ball well getting another trey from Tongue and a lay in from Gille as the bigs were producing well as Artland trailed 50-42. The EPG Baskets Koblenz also displayed their will to win which was bigger than Artland´s at this juncture. Koblenz was more attentive on the glass getting offensive rebounds and also making big defensive plays and hustle plays. Inside out player Jonas NIedermanner hit a big trey to keep the lead going well at 60-47. The Artland Dragons did a good job getting to the free throw line getting baskets from Dolic and Fuller to stay in the game, but overall could have been closer had they connected better from there. After 40 minutes they had missed a total of 8 free throws. The Artland Dragons just couldn´t find that defensive consistency from the BG Goettingen game allowing a try by Mason Kraus and pretty baby hook shot from Tongue for the 74-61 lead after 3 quarters. Kraus had a solid game with 13 points and 4 dimes in 20 minutes and celebrated his real Pro A break through. “Mason had a great game. He made the game fast, hit big shots and his agility helped him play great defense”, stressed Thomas Klein. The EPG Baskets Koblenz shot 43% from the 2 point range and shot 45% from the parking lot and had 26 rebounds and 4 turnovers while the Artland Dragons shot 57% from the 2 point area and 26% from the parking lot and had 27 rebounds and 9 turnovers. “Our focus was on Klussmann on defense and did a good job against him. On offense we did a good job having longer possessions and slowing down at times. We like to paly fast, but when in the half court look for good shots”, warned Jayden Williams. “We had a bad start with too little energy. We did a good job getting to the free throw line, but missed too many”, explained Dejan Bruce.

Dejan Bruce at the FT line

Both teams stepped off the scoring pedal in the fourth quarter combining for 37 points as the Artland Dragons never cut the lead down closer than 9 points. The first few minutes was a real turnover party as both teams coughed up the ball on a regular basis. The game had become sloppy. German American Grant Tecihmann who once hit 9 three´s and 28 points in Koblenz with Pro B team Dresden now has a very reduced role this season connected on a trey while Williams and Johnson added lay in´s as Koblenz led 78-67 and Artland just couldn´t get closer. After a Bohannon lay in, the EPG Baskets Koblenz then put a stamp on the win with a lethal 13-2 run to extend their lead to 91—71 and ultimately decide the game. In the run, the EPG Baskets Koblenz got back to back 3 free throws from Jayden Williams for a total of 6 while Sonnefeld added a lay in as did Chase Johnson. Koblenz had a few more minutes to go and couldn´t end the game in total immaculate fashion as the Artland Dragons ended the game strong finishing with a brutal 9-0 run so their end result didn´t look quite as bad. Bruce and Bohannon added lay in´s while Klussmann got a few more points, but couldn´t tie his Pro A best 28 points against Bochum and ended with 27 points. “We had better energy and wanted to try to get back into the game with better defense”, said Dejan Bruce. “We brought so much energy in the fourth that it would have been impossible not to go on a run”, added Jayden Williams. The EPG Baskets Koblenz were led by Jayden Williams with 26 points. Mason Kraus added 13 points and Camaron Tongue 12 points while the Artland Dragons were led by Jonathan Klussmann with 27 points. Jamal Fuller added 14 points and Naz Bohannon 10 points. The EPG Baskets Koblenz shot 42% from the field and 39% from outside and had 35 rebounds and 8 turnovers while the Artland Dragons shot 43% from the field and 25% from outside and had 36 rebounds and 12 turnovers,

Naz Bohannon(Artland Dragons) Will Do Anything To Win And Wants To Be The Best Me That He Can Be This Season

Pic credit: Alix Sophie

Naz Bohannon (198-F-1999, college: Clemson) is a 27 year old 198cm forward playing his fifth professional season in Germany and first with the Artland Dragons. Last season he played with Science City Jena averaging 5.2ppg, 3.4rpg, FGP: 53.7%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT: 65.6% He played the last 2 seasons with Phoenix Hagen (Germany-ProA) averaging 12.4ppg, 6.6rpg, 2.2apg, 1.1spg, FGP: 54.7%, 3PT: 25.0%, FT: 60.8% and 13.3ppg, 5.8rpg, 2.5apg, FGP: 56.3%, 3PT: 12.5%, FT: 60.9%. He played his rookie season overseas with at Rasta Vechta (Germany-ProA) averaging 9.0ppg, 5.6rpg, 1.2apg, FGP-1 (73.4%), 3PT: 33.3%, FT: 55.2%. He began his basketball career with Lorain, OH / Lorrain High School and left as the all-time leading scorer with 1,385 career points with 872 career rebounds and guided the team to a three-year mark of 69-8. He then played at Youngstown State University (NCAA) from 2017-2021 and in his last year averaged16.5ppg, 8.2rpg, 3.2apg, FGP: 53.3%, 3PT: 16.7%, FT: 59.8%. He played an extra season at Clemson University (NCAA) averaging 5.7ppg, 4.1rpg, 1.7apg, FGP: 52.6%, 3PT: 50.0%, FT: 68.6%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the big win over BG Goettingen.

Congrats on the massive 81-69 win over BG Goettingen. What a statement after the tough 91-87 loss to Giessen. How good does this win feel? The first of the season?

It was a great feeling. We have abunch of young guys so any win is exciting. We have been together only 7-8 weeks and I came late to the team. This win helped us continue to build momentum and consistency.

Zach Jackson had a big game in the loss to the RheinStars, but didn´t play tonight. How fortunate was that he didn´t play or would the Artland defense had stopped him as well?

We tend to focus on ourselves. That is the best that we can do. We had no clue that he wouldn´t play and we prepared thinking that he would play. We focus on what we can control. That is the best way to win.

Artland had the fast 7-2 lead thanks to a basket by Buzz Anthony and 2 assists. How vital is his leader ship and play for the Dragons success?

I played against him in Pro A years ago. He has a household name in the league. He is the heart beat of the Dragons. We connect well as a team with him and have learned what he needs and we help him. He is a leader and the heart on the floor.

Artland had the big 20-7 lead, but after 10 minutes led only 23-20 allowing a 13-3 run in the last minutes. What was key for BG Goettingen getting back into the game?

I think that phase was just a part of having growing pains with a young team early in a new season. We were trying to find our consistency. We also got away from certain things on offense and allowed them back in the game. We need to learn to value every possession so we don’t sway in a direction that will allow the opponent come back.

In the second quarter the Artland Dragons kept the pressure on keeping the sound lead as German Ralph Hounnou had a trey and 2 assists. What have you appreciated most about his game?

I love Ralph. He is a real sponge that is always eager to learn. He loves the game so much that he wants to keep growing as a player. He has so much potential and he knows what he has to do so he can become exceptional.

The Artland Dragons had the comfortable 45-34 advantage at the break. After allowing 91 points against Giessen, where did you want to make the most strides on the defensive end?

I think that we focused on what we want our team identity to be which is being a defensive team. We did a good job getting defensive rebounds and getting in the gaps. We did the small things really well and defended well as a team. We take pride on defense.

In the third quarter the Artland Dragons continued to manage the lead well, but lost a little control in the last minutes to lead only 63-57. Did the team get a little sloppy on defense?

We got out of the things we usually do. We slowed down the offense and didn´t let them get comfortable. The flagrant was a big swing in the game.

In the fourth quarter the Artland Dragons heightened their defense allowing only 12 points. What was the biggest strength on defense during the 40 minutes?

Our energy and effort was our biggest strength. These are two things that you can´t teach. Elijah Ndi was huge for us. He set the tone on defense and his energy was infectious.

Domonic Dolic and Grant Teichmann were kept combined to 3 points in 24 minutes. How hungry are you guys to break out again in Koblenz?

I think that we have a team where any guy can step up on any night. When the ball is popping and they start to see it go in, then they will start knocking down more shots. We are a dangerous offensive team and the ball will find them.

The Artland Dragons next battle 1-1 team EPG Baskets Koblenz. What has been your impression of them?

It is hard to pinpoint exactly what type of team they are so early in the season. They have a lot of young guys that have found their way early. Key for us will be to break up their rhythm and make them feel uncomfortable. Every team is dangerous in the Pro A. You can´t underestimate anyone. The young uys will feel like they have something to prove after the loss against Nurnberg.

They are an explosive scoring team that likes to play physical. Can the Dragons have another impressive defensive performance against them?

It will a real battle. They lost a tough game. Some guys may feel like they beat themselves. Our identity is our defense. We can control that. We will be fine. I like our team. I think that with our energy and enthusiasm, we can defend anyone.

Last season you averaged 5.2ppg, 3.4rpg, FGP: 53.7%, 3PT: 40.0%, FT: 65.6% with Jena. The season ended well staying in the league, but your minutes were 10 less than the year before. How did you summarize your season?

Key last season for me was growth as a human being. There were things going on in Jena last season that the public didn´t see. Despite the difficulties, I chose to stand tall and keep pushing forward. We had a great group of guys and banned together. If you focus to much on stats then you may lose yourself. I never complained, but fought through adversary. I was really fortunate to paly in the BBL and my path will work. I feel like I played well in the minutes I got last season.

What are your expectations for your game this season? Your back in the Pro A with a talented team?

I´m here to help in any way. I think that there is always room for improvement. I want to show in games this season which I have worked hard to improve. I achieved a lot in the Pro A stat wise and with teams. I want to build that again now with the Dragons. I want to be the best me that I can be.

Who wins a 1-1 in practice you or Jamal Fuller?

I love his game. But I don´t take many guys over myself. When we play, it will be a fun game.

Thanks Naz for the chat.

Dominik Dolic Wants To Be An Even Better Organizer This Season And Believes That The Artland Dragons Identity Will Be Defense

Pic Credit: Alix Sophie

Dominik Dolic (191-SG-2006) is a 19 year old 190cm guard from Croatia playing his second season with the Artland Dragons. Last season with Artland he averaged 5.7ppg, 1.2rpg, 2.0apg, FGP: 47.8%, 3PT: 30.4%, FT: 57.6%.In the 2024-2025 season he played with the FC Bayern Munich Pro B team averaging 11,6ppg, 2,5rpg and 3,4apg and in the NBBL averaged 16,8ppg, 3,8rpg, 4,8apg and 2,2spg and won the NBBL title. In 2023-2024 he played with FC Bayern Muenchen U19 team (Germany-NBBL) averaging 14.9ppg, 2.1rpg, 2.4apg, FGP: 54.1%, 3PT: 34.4%, FT: 77.5%, and with FC Bayern Muenchen 2nd Team (Germany-ProB) averaged 6.6ppg, 1.4rpg, 2.9apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 46.5%, 3PT: 22.6%, FT: 64.0%. In the 2022-2023 season he played 9 Pro B games averaging 2,2ppg and with the NBBL team averaged 6.7ppg, 1.9rpg, 2.2apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 47.4%, 3PT-3 (48.6%), FT: 84.6%. He spoke to germanhoops.com after the big 81-69 win over BG Goettingen.

Congrats on the massive 81-69 win over BG Goettingen. What a statement after the tough 91-87 loss to Giessen. How good does this win feel? The first of the season?

It was great to get the first win of the season. We had lost a few games to Pro A teams in preseason. This win put us over the hump.

Zach Jackson had a big game in the loss to the RheinStars, but didn´t play tonight. How fortunate was that he didn´t play or would the Artland defense had stopped him as well?

We were ready for him. That he didn´t play surprised us, but with or without him, we were super confident and prepared.

Artland had the fast 7-2 lead thanks to a basket by Buzz Anthony and 2 assists. How vital is his leader ship and play for the Dragons success?

Buzz is really important for our success. He is really good at giving speeches and keeping us together. He also has the ability to give pretty passes.

Artland had the big 20-7 lead, but after 10 minutes led only 23-20 allowing a 13-3 run in the last minutes. What was key for BG Goettingen getting back into the game?

We had some mistakes on defense and didn´t hit shots. But we still stuck together and kept going.

In the second quarter the Artland Dragons kept the pressure on keeping the sound lead as German Ralph Hounnou had a trey and 2 assists. What have you appreciated most about his game?

Ralph is our energizer. He has the ability to hit shots consistently. He is a really good teammate.

The Artland Dragons had the comfortable 45-34 advantage at the break. After allowing 91 points against Giessen, where did you want to make the most strides on the defensive end?

We did a good job sticking to our defensive principles. We were better with effort and communication.

In the third quarter the Artland Dragons continued to manage the lead well, but lost a little control in the last minutes to lead only 63-57. Did the team get a little sloppy on defense?

We had ups and downs in this quarter. But we never gave up and saved our best for last.

In the fourth quarter the Artland Dragons heightened their defense allowing only 12 points. What was the biggest strength on defense during the 40 minutes?

We all defended together. There was no one man show. Just real good team defense.

Naz Bohannon also came late to the team and had a solid 13/8/3 game. Is he the glue guy?

Yes he is. He has much Pro A experience. His biggest strength is when he has the ball. He is most dangerous then. He is everywhere on the court.

The Artland Dragons next battle 1-1 team EPG Baskets Koblenz. What has been your impression of them?

We played them in Koblenz in preseason. They have found themselves well, but there is nothing we should be afraid of. If we play our game then we will have a good chance to win.

They are an explosive scoring team that likes to play physical. Can the Dragons have another impressive defensive performance against them?

I think we are capable of showing another strong defensive performance like against BG Goettingen. Defense has to do with will. We are all on the same page. I think that everyone is ready to play defense every day and we are ready to have it as our identity.

You and Grant Teichmann were kept combined to 3 points in 24 minutes. How hungry are you guys to break out again in Koblenz?

We are hungry each game. I feel like we impacted the game in other ways against BG Goettingen.

Last season you averaged 5.7ppg, 1.2rpg, 2.0apg, FGP: 47.8%, 3PT: 30.4%, FT: 57.6%. Do you have the same role as last season?

My role is bigger than last season. I have more responsibility at both ends.

What are your expectations for your game this season?

I want to be a better glue guy for team. I want to be a better defender this season and organize better for my teammates.

Who wins a 1-1 in practice you or Grant Teichmann?

I do.

Thanks Dominik for the chat.