Jimmy Baxter (198-G-80, college: S.Florida), who was signed today by Besiktas ColaTurka Istanbul, started the 2008/2009 season with Base Oostende averaging 12.4 points and 3.8 rebounds in 4 Belgian League games this season. He was released from the Base Oostende roster together with coach Vukoicic after 4 defeats in the Belgian League. Jimmy Baxter shined with BK Ventspils last season, averaging 19.2 points and 4.6 rebounds in 12 ULEB Cup games, becoming the fifth top scorer in the competition. He has also played for Edimes Pavia and Reggio Emilia in Italy, Dijon in France, the Southern Crescent Lightning in the WBA and Oliveirense in Portugal. Jimmy Baxter won the 2006 French Cup title with Dijon. He already played against Besiktas ColaTurka Istanbul in the ULEB Cup last season, averaging 17 points on 5-for-7 three-pointers. Besiktas ColaTurka Istanbul is hoping to recover all financial problmens and to hold on to all the players on the roster.

Even though the 32nd birthday of Pascal Roller (180-G-76) was filled with many cakes, The Deutsche Bank Skyliners didnt come to eat, but play against The Nordlingen Giants and escape with a humbling 74 to 64 win in cup action. I had enough cake today. We had three cakes at lunch and I am filled right now, joked Ilian Evtimov (201-F-83, agency: Interperformances, college: N.Carolina St.) after the game in the tunnel of the Ballsporthalle. The Deutsche Bank Skyliners last reached the Top four in 2005 and are as hungry as a baby kitten yearning for its mothers milk to finally reach the last four again. It was not a pretty win, but sometimes just winning is soothing no matter how one played. We controlled the game and at the end were just a bit more clever and didnt let them bring us out of our rhythm and we got some good calls at the end, stated Skyliner captain Pascal Roller. One could of almost felt sorry for the Nordlingen Giants, with Varnie Dennis (202-F-82, agency: Rasmussen Services, college: Cal Poly - SLO) and Loderick Stewart having too depart the team weeks ago and getting bitter injuries to big men Avi Kazarnovski and Ty Shaw, the team played with a lot of heart and showed that they had extreme fighting qualities. We played really hard, but once again it wasnt enough. We really got beat up under the boards too. We made some mental mistakes down the stretch, which cost us the game, explained Canadian Osvaldo Jeanty (183-G-84, agency: Scorers 1st Sportmanagement).

The beginning looked anything like a cup atmosphere and instead of seeing a tight defensive game, the fans were offered a high paced and quick scoring game. After Domonik Bahiense De Mello opened the scoring with a three pointer, both teams traded 5-0 runs. Canadian Osvaldo Jeanty showed his versatile play by burying a three pointer and then gliding into the zone with a hoop. Frankfurt responded with outside shots from Ilian Evtimov and Pascal Roller. Hardly two minutes had been played, and The Deutsche Bank Skyliners led 8-5. April fools is still five months away, but coach Murat Didin wasnt fooling anyone as he started with out Greg Jenkins (206-F/C-82, college: Iona) and Anthony King (206-F/C, agency: Interperformances, college: Miami, FL). Nordlingen German center Josef Eichler (200-F-87) found an opening in the zone and finished with a two handed dunk. The Frankfurt defense was still getting used to the fast Nordlingen tempo as American Omari Westley (201-F-82, college: Cleveland St.) spun around Konrad Wysocki (202-F-82, agency: Pro One Sports, college: Princeton) giving Nordlingen the lead back to 9-8.

In the next few minutes, Frankfurt showed how dangerous they can be when their offensive machine is on full throttle as they rushed out on a 14-2 run. Frankfurt scored in the zone with Derrick Allen (203-F-80, agency: Pro One Sports, college: Mississippi), connected from outside from Evtimov, De Mello and Roller and De Mello again on the fast break. Frankfurt led 22 to 11 as Nordlingen had fallen into a small offense and defensive hole. However, Nordlingen crawled out of their cavity like a cheerful groundhog and answered with a 7-0 run to climb back to 22-18. Monta McGhee (202-F-79, agency: AMI, college: Lewis) and Osvaldo Jeanty did the damage. Frankfurt led 25 to 18 after one quarter. The two stats that made the difference were the Frankfurt three point supremacy of 56% to 27% and the seven assists spoke for their concentrated organization.

The Deutsche Bank Skyliners showed a lot of poise and patience with the Nordlingen run and gun offense and started with a 6-1 run to extend their lead to 31 to 20. Pascal Roller hit from outside, then Anthony King made his first appearance and rammed his way to the basket and layed it in softly like a tame Lion. Pascal Roller showed his athletic beauty as he scored a lay up while falling. German Konrad Wysocki scored the next three baskets and Frankfurt led 38 to 26. On the third bucket, he was open so long behind the three point line, that he could of easily drawn rough preliminary plans for his dream house. Ilian Evtimov followed with a three pointer. Frankfurt led 41 to 26, but instead of taking a comfortable 15 point lead into halftime, Frankfurt lost a bit of concentration as Nordlingen scored five unanswered points. Omari Westley could easily audition for the beast in beauty and the beast, as he controlled an offensive rebound and drove by two Skyliners. He then drowned a buzzer beater at halftime. The three point percentage of Nordlingen remained a disaster as they were shooting only 25%. But the most surprising stat was that both teams had made 14 points in the paint and that Frankfurt had held back making more points down low.

The first few minutes of the third quarter looked less like BBL Basketball, but more like a pick up basketball game with numerous mistakes. Basketball can sometimes look a work of art, but this was as distant of the Mona Lisa as could only be. The game now was taking more cup atmosphere as each team was fighting to win, but Frankfurt remained with more options on offense. The first four hoops were made by Osvaldo Jeanty and Ilian Evtimov with two hoops a piece. Even though Frankfurt still led 48 to 42, Nordlingen was dominating the quarter and continuing to show their fighting spirits. Frankfurt simply couldnt shake Nordlingen as they were like hungry pit bulls never letting loose. After three quarters, Frankfurt led 55 to 44 and it wasnt only Nordlingen(29%) that had a poor three point percentage, but Frankfurt was lousy at 36%. Frankfurt had taken control of the rebounding duel 31 to 28.

Both teams saved some fire power for the last quarter as Nordlingen got started sooner going on a 5-0 run with hoops from German Carl Mbassa (194-G/F-78, agency: Scorers 1st Sportmanagement) and American Omari Westley in the zone. However Nordlingen simply couldnt get any closer and Frankfurt always had an answer. It didnt matter where Konrad Wysocki was on the floor, on this day the opponents end was his own big living room. He scored from the wing with a penetration move and then from outside. Frankfurt led again with breathing room 61 to 51. Of course the starters of Nordlingen were logging many minutes and they werent finding any place to fill up their gas tanks down the stretch. It is tough to win games, when your tired, said Osvaldo Jeanty. Frankfurt then showed some of their nicest passing combinations of the night as De Mello made a quick pas to Allen underneath. Then it was time for ex Skyliner Carl Mbassa to have his short time in the Basketball spotlight as he scored five points including a three pointer and a lay up off a fast break. Omari Westley did some more dirty work in the zone scoring off a nice feed from Monta McGhee. Frankfurt only led 63 to 58. Nordlingen stopped Frankfurt on offense, but Omari Westley then got stuck with a traveling call. That was the turning point of the game. The Westley turnover and then the three pointer by Pascal Roller. We then held the ball for a minute got a few offensive rebounds that hurt them, said Ilian Evtimov. After an Allen bucket and two free throws for Pascal Roller, Frankfurt led 71 to 58 and gave the team a first signal that Hamburg is getting closer and closer. After the turnover by Westley, we had a mental breakdown. Roller then hit a three pointer. We had mental fatigue and we simply were back too much to come back, commented Osvaldo Jeanty.

The Deutsche Bank Skyliners were led by Konrad Wysocki with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Ilian Evtimov chipped in with 15 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals. Birthday boy Pascal Roller added 14 points and four assists. American Derrick Allen contributed 13 points. The Nordlingen Giants were led by American Omari Westley with 22 points and 12 rebounds. Osvaldo Jeanty added 16 points.

Cup games where one team is the big favourite can sometimes be very dangerous games, but The Deutsche Bank Skyliners showed down the stretch, that there was a difference from a first and second class team. Both teams didnt shoot well, and Frankfurt controlled the boards 43 to 36. At the end, Nordlingen couldnt compensate their injuries on the court with the needed baskets in the fourth quarter. The experience and deeper bench also helped Frankfurt pull out the win. Even though it wasnt a pretty win, Ilian Evtimov was very happy by the performance of his team. We ran the court well and rebounded well. We also had good defense on their guards and the triangle defense worked. We also did a good job stopping their fast break. The Deutsche Bank Skyliners host the New York Phantom Braunschweig on Sunday November 23 at 15:00.

Today we have an exclusive with Bennett Davison (203-F-75, agency: Megasport, college: Arizona). He was born in 21th November 1975, few days hell be 33, 1997 NCAA champion with Arizona Wildcats under legendary coach Lute Olson.

I was just down in Tucson a few weeks ago and had lunch with Lute. A few other players and I all had lunch with him and he was happy to be around everyone. I guess he had a small stroke and for medical reasons the doctors told him he should retire. He put Tucson and the University of Arizona on the map and is an icon in the world of basketball, I am very grateful to have played and won a championship with him.

Bennett, we havent heard your news in last season, when you were in Rethymno, in Greece, where you were used in the center position, out of your natural position. How are you today?

I am doing great. I am feeling better than I have in the last few years. When I was playing in Bologna and Milan 2 years ago, I was playing with a bone chip in my ankle. I went to 3 doctors in Italy and they all said there was nothing wrong, they couldn't find anything. I came back and the Sacramento Kings foot doctor found out it was small bone chip. It was a short 30 min surgery and a few weeks of recovery, and i was back in action. I just played last season in Greece and I helped the team recover from a losing record in the first half of their season, to a winning record in the second half of their season, but that wasnt enough to avoid the team deregulation.

Have you worked in the post season? Are you ready to play?

In the off season's in Sacramento I have been playing open gym with the Sacramento State college team and the local Sacramento Kings players, like Matt Barnes of the Phoenix Suns, Bobby Jackson of the Kings, Mike Bibby of the Hawks, and Kevin Martin of the Kings. Recently I have been working with Kenny Thomas of the Kings and his one on one skills. This is how I stay in shape in the off season.

You had four season in Italian teams, how do you feel when you was in Italy?

I had some good years playing in Italy from Naples to Milan. Things like winning a Championship in A2 with Virtus Bologna, but I also remember not having such a good season last time I was in Bologna. I was playing with a bone chip in my ankle and it was a guard style team, with not a lot of chances for the big men to score. I am not upset, ask any player some seasons are better than others. I am just ready to get things going again back in the best organized basketball league in Europe. It is where I have played the most season's and have made the best connections. There are families and players from Naples to Milan that we still keep in contact with.

Have you some contacts with teams?

So I will be coming out to Milan on the 20th just before they start to make some cuts on November 24th, to let teams know that I am ready to play. Until now i have had a few offers but i also know that teams don't like to interupt there team chemistry during the season. So I am coming out to let them know that I more then ready, I'm hungry to play good Italian basketball again.

Reading your website, I have found that you have created a new business, helping the American players who go to play overseas. Can you explain this idea?

I also have another purpose for coming out to Milan, and it has to do with American's and our lifestyles playing overseas. In certain parts it can also help European players. It has to do with all experiences that we deal with on a year to year basis, living in Europe and in the States. We as basketball players want to live a nice lifestyle but why should it cost so much to our pocketbooks. www.EUhooplife.com is a website that has to do with House's, Car's, Tax information, back in the states. Lists of books to read to prepare their mindsets for when they are done playing. It is a fact that 65% of pro athletes will file for bankruptcy within 5 years of their careers finishing. All because they don't have any residual income. I personally have fully licensed and certified with the US government, business plans for these Americans ball players overseas to make residual incomes while finishing there basketball careers, so that they can maintain and expand their style of living. Everything in my website will have to do with their financial education and preparation for their futures. I hope to come out and accomplish both of my goals. thank you.

For more information about other forms of income contact bennett_davison@hotmail.com

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Heffingen 56 - Contern 76

Heffignen, Luxembourg
Heffingen is still looking for its first win and as it appears, it may be a while before they find one with T71(4-3), Amicale(5-2), Black Star(4-3), and Etzella(4-3) on the progroam for the next several weeeks. Contern's 4th period defense stifled Heffingen last Saturday evening holding the home team to only 9 points to win by 20. Going into the 4th, Heffingen was hanging in there, down by only 6, still with hope of pulling out a first win. Heffingen's Camille Feltes was unable to play because of knee problems and other than Manou Scholtus(11 points, 8 rebs), American Jay Anderson (206-F-81, college: Oregon) didn't get much help from the young squad. Anderson took 8 rebounds as well, scored 24 points and blocked 4 shots. Contern's Eric Jeitz topped all scorers with 30 followed by Brandon Gary (202-F-83, college: Hutchinson JC) with 12. Nearly all the other Contern players scored with a team effort offensively and shot well from 2 point range (60%) while limiting Heffingen to less than 37% with another great defensive effort. Contern, of the DBBL's hottest teams for the time being, will host Etzella next on Saturday night, November 22. Heffingen must travel to Dudelange and face a tough T71 squad that is coming off a 10 point win over Racing.

Heffingen: 21 field goals, 6 three pointers, 8 for 16 free throws, 28 rebounds 18 fouls and 15 turnovers
Zender 4, Anderson 24, Scholtus 11, Hetto 7, J. Thesen 2, also Schumacher, C. Weyrich 2 and K. Thesen 6
Contern: 29 field goals, 2 three pointers, 16 for 22 free throws, 28 rebounds, 17 fouls and 12 trunovers
Jeitz 30, Becker 7, Fasbender 4, Diederich 8, Gary 12, also Braun 7, Torres 1, Majerus and Bissener 7

Score by Quarters: 1st Q 20-21, Halftime 33-36, 3rd Q 47-53, Final 56-76
140 Spectators