First win!!!!!

We won our first game this weekend against Rostock, a team from northern germany. We beat them 79-69 at home bringing our record to 1-7. It feels good to get our first win. I had 12pts 7ast 4rbs 2stls and 3TO. We picked up a new center because one of our centers went down with an torn knee ligament a couple weeks back. The new center is experienced but out of shape. We played very well as a team having 5 guys in double figures with the leading scorer having 14pts. It was a total team effort and if we continue to play this way we are very hard team to beat. It's just a relief to get the first win and get that weight off our shoulders. It's all down hill from here. Our next game is in Berlin agains the second best team in our league ALBA Berlin, who has a lot of money and can pay to get the best players. The picture is from the newspaper and I thought I would put it in there to show how happy I am to get a win and to add flavor.

Last Weekend.....

I forgot to let everyone know about our game last weekend in Magneburg. We lost in overtime 90-93. The team wasn't even that great but we were missing 4 starters due to various injuries and illnesses. I lead us with 30points 3ast 4rbs 2stl and 3TO. That put our record to 0-7, not happy about that. the picture is of the Arena we played in.

Back in the winners circle

Today, my 16U team played in Hannover, against the Hannover YMCA. The first quarter was a back and forth battle with us having the lead after it ended. My team came out very soft and passive which really irritated me and I let them know I wasn't pleased. During the second quarter they played even more passive and soft and we went into halftime tied 34-34. We only shot 4 free throws in the first half and I told them thats because they played soft and passive. Two starters inparticularly were playing bad and I didn't start them the second half. One of the two didn't play the second half due to disrespect to his teammates. The second half they came out fired up and ready to play and I think it had to do with the two new players inserted into the starting lineup. The two new players brough energy and toughness that the others fed off of. We controlled the whole second half, holding them to 21 second half points and only 9 in the fourth quarter. We won the game 72-55 and I was pleased with the second half play.

Their next game is against their rival ASC of Goettingen. The game is at our place so I know we will have a lot of fans and we'll be "amped" up for the game.

Their record is now 4-1 and they are in first place in the 16u Norther Division.

First Loss as a Coach in Germany

On Sunday, November 15, my birthday, both the teams I coach played games. My 14u team played a lesser foe, beating them pretty easily by 40 points.

My 16u team played a very good team called UBC Munster. My 16u team has a horrible problem of over looking teams before they play them and thinking that they can just show up and beat them.

The game started with us scoring at will but we couldn't stop them on defense. We battled back and forth with them throughout the first half. However, we went into half time down 5 points.

We came out the third quarter very strong again on offense but we just couldn't seem to stop them on the defensive end. They had a very good player who was 6'6 and could bring the ball up, post up and shoot the 3 ball. He is the best 16U german player I've seen so far. By the fourth quarter we were down 11points and during the break the heads of my guys were down as though they had already lost. During the fourth quarter they battled back to cut the lead to 3points with a minute left. A technical foul by one of my players gave them a couple FT's and the ball back, increasing their lead to 5 points. We got a steal that turned into a layup cutting their lead back to 3. Another TO by them led to another score for us, putting us down 2 with 15 seconds left. I told the guys to fould but they waited to long and the time ran out. We lost by 1 62-63 to a team we should have beaten by 10points. I wasnt very happy with their play on the defensive end until the last 2 minutes of the game. They play again next weekend against a very good Hannover team. So, lets see if they can bounce back after this loss. The 14u team is 3-1 and the 16u team is 3-1.

Birthday Weekend....not so happy

This weekend was my 26th birthday and I was looking to get a win. This weekend I had a game against Itzahoe, which is 4hrs away and the leagues number one team and leading scorer. We made the trip without 2 starters, Max and Tobi, who were out with sickness and injuries. Then, :09 seconds into the game our starting center, 6'10 Jan Both, tore a ligament in his knee. So, now we're down 3 starters for one of the biggest games of the year. The game started with us hanging right there with Itzahoe. After the first quarter we were only down 15-17. During the second quarter, the game went back and forth with many lead changes. I was playing good but so was their American. Him and I were going back and forth and by half time we were down 35-38. I had 14pts at the half, but their American had 17pts. The third quarter, they made a couple runs pushing their lead to 10 points by the end of the third. I played very poorly during the third quarter, forcing shots and missing easy shots. Their American however, began to get hot and he score 17pts in the third quarter. During the fourth quarter, we made a couple good runs but in the end their American was too much. He finished the game with 43points and only one other player on their team scored in double figures. I finished the game with 21points, 5ast, 6rbs, 2stl and 5TO, while shooting 9-21 from the field and 2-4 from the FT line. We ended up losing the game 76-87. We are now 0-6. Our next game is away against BG Magdeburg.

16U Game Today

Today my 16U Team played an away game against SG Bad Essen/Osnabruck. We arrived at the game late so we were limited to a 10 minute warm up, which is fine with me, but the kids just didn't seem focused. I told them to not underestamate any team they play and come out and send a message. The other team was little and not real talented so they just thought they could coast to a victory. SG came out hard and ready to play and we came out flat not ready to play. By the end of the first quarter the score was tied 13-13 to a team we should have been beating by 20points at that point. The second quarter went the same as the first with us just on cruise control and them playing as hard as they can. At halftime the score was 27-29, them. Walking into the locker room at halftime I told my assistant coach things were about to get ugly. I lost my mind during halftime, I yelled at every single player about every single thing they were doing during the game. I told them, AGAIN, you can't just show up and beat people. They think because they're 2-0, at the time, they just show up and win. They are getting too "cocky" and arrogant for me. But, boy did I let them have it during half time. They came out in the second quarter with a 12-2 run, eventually putting the game out of reach. We continued to pressure them into misstakes and bad shots and we were running our offense and finishing at the rim strong. We ended up winning the game 66-52 but I am still not satisfied about their efforts during the game. When they want to they play great defense and run the offense to a "T". But when they just cruise and relax they look like garbage on offense and even worse on defense. Our next game is next weekend and we must win, because its my birthday..haha.

Away Game Against BSW Sixers

Today we played our first game in two weeks against the BSW Sixers of East Germany. The same team we played in our last game but this time at their place. The game started out with me getting an and one layup, however I missed the free throw but we still had the lead 2-0. That would be the last time we would have the lead. The Sixers controlled the whole game. They dominated us in every aspect of the game. I'm not one to blame or make excuses but we did get screwed on a lot of calls by the refs. I stuggled with my shooting in the first quarter missing easy open shots that I normally make. After the first quarter we were down 19-29. The Sixers came out in the second quarter with a lot on energy and they pushed their lead to 34-62 by halftime. I had 13 points at the half but I was still struggling with my shooting. We came out in the third quarter with a lot of fire and energy on defense that lead to us going on a 9-0 run to start the third quarter. Then a series of horrible calls by the refs put the Sixers in the free throw bonus and us not having a single foul drawn. I give that credit to home court advantage..haha..Anyways, after those fouls killed our run, the Sixers continued to control the game. By the end of the third quarter the Sixers we still leading 62-89. The fourth quarter went the same as the other three with the Sixers sticking the "nail in the coffin" and putting the clap on any comeback we had. I finished the game with 25pts 5ast 4st 2rbs 3TO to lead us. I however didnt shoot the ball very well going 8-20 for the game. I did however go 7-8 from the free throw line, which I could say, in that atsmophere is pretty good. The crowd for the Sixers was pretty good. I believe they had 300 or more people there and I think every one of them had a drum, cowbell, horn, siren and/or some kind of noise maker...haha...The gym was so loud during the game, that during huddles, timeouts and face to face conversation we couldn't hear each other talk. We resorted to hand signals to call plays and communicate to each other.

Our next game is on Saturday Novemeber 14 away at Itzahoe. Itzahoe, has the leading scorer in the league, 27.9ppg, who score 47pts in his last game...So it's going to be a fun challenge for us. Hopefully we can get rid of our "goose egg" and win a game. We are 0-5 on the season.

The picture are of the gym and us in our new uniforms.

2nd Game as a Coach

Today, Sunday, November 1, 2009 my 16u team had its second game against Team Braunschweig/Wolfenbuttel (BW) at home. The boys practice hard all week, but they began to get a big head after their win last week against Padderborn. I made sure to push them and let them know that they won one game and not to get a big head. So, I broke them down by letting them know all the mistakes they made during the game and practice. They responded with hard, intense and energetic practices.

Todays game started with BW coming out to a 0-7 lead. I called a timeout and I let them know you can't just "show up" and beat teams. After that they began to play better but still not what I wanted. Not even close! We battled back to cut their lead to 1 at the half, 31-32. During halftime, I had to let them know again that they are not very good when they want to do their own thing. I told them that if they listen to me, play hard and execute then they could beat anyone in Germany.

The second half started with us full of energy and we used it to pressure them into make poor decsions. My guards pressured the ball the whole game causeing the BW guards to become tired and make silly mistakes. At the end of the third quarter we had a 4point lead 45-41 and we never looked back. We held them to 2points in the fourth quarter and 11points in the second half. We won 64-43. I was please with the second half play but they need to learn to play that way the whole game. Our next game is away on November 8 against SG Bad Essen....I wish I could tell you the city but I can't. haha.

The picture is of the 16u team, me and my two asst coaches.