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NBBL Top4: Final Review (Part 1)

June 3rd, 2008 · No Comments

After a sweaty weekend in Langen, I am back home now and give you a detailed report about the Final event of the German U19 League. The four teams that qualified for the Final phase were already present last season with the exception of ALBA Berlin who reached the final phase instead of Phoenix Hagen. So we saw a Final between the old and new Champion Team Urspring while TSV Breitengüssbach defeated Bonn-Rhöndorf for the third place.

Christian Standhardinger (2m03 – SF – 1989 – Team Urspring)

The season MVP and top scorer of Team Urspring did play only 2 half times during the Tournament. In the first game, Standhardinger was just on the court during the first half and left the court for good after few minutes in the 2nd half when the game was decided. In the Final, after a disastrous beginning, he was benched until halftime. He played the Tournament with a abdominal muscle strain that caused him a lot of pain and can explain his up-and-down performances during the games.

The minutes he spent on court were however enough to give an update on him and check his development over the season. Standhardinger showed still his amazing penetration skills, especially from his very strong right hand. He could slash to the basket with ease when the defenders opened his right side. He showed however some skills from his left hand when he had to use it. However, this drive was not as good as from the other side. He showed sometimes a spin-move also after a left-handed drive to finish off the right hand.

The other concern in his game was his shot. Unfortunately, there was not much of a development to be seen here. On the other hand, he was not “forced” to take jump shots as he passed nearly every time his direct opponent with his great first step. His few shots from mid-distance still looked a bit hesitating and coming of a slow release. He struggled also a bit on his free-throws, but this was more the result of concentration problems.

Standhardinger is really an emotional player which can boost him as well as it can hurt him. He put him self out of the game totally in the beginning of the Final with his overreacting after some missed shots. However, in the second half, he fought really hard and made some game deciding plays with a charge and also a big steal after a missed layup by himself. To conclude on something positive, with his extremely aggressive play, Standhardinger is an regular visitor on the free-throw line.

He has also develop interesting passing skills and court vision. As he is driving hard, he recognizes the helpers very well and can give the pass out to the open shooters on the three point line. If he manages to develop a correct and regular mid-distance shot in his next season with Ehingen, Standhardinger will be a very interesting Small Forward.

Maurice Stuckey (1m84 – PG/SG – 1990 – Team Urspring)

Maurice Stuckey played a very good Saturday and a correct Sunday game. On Saturday, the scoring guard from Urspring went really hot from three and made 8 shots from behind the arc. On Sunday, he got defended harder and could not connect from downtown.

Stuckey showed great speed and excellent athletic skills which made him the fastest guy in the whole tournament. He can drive very well, with an excellent first step and finish strong around the basket due to his good jumping ability. Stuckey, who played mostly SG during the tournament should however develop into a PG in the future as the starting PG Wiseler will be gone next season.

His shot looks a bit strange, like he is always falling a bit to his left. But he can hit the threes in series, mostly in catch-and-shot fashion. He nearly never went for difficult threes out of the dribble. He did not show a particular spot from where he hit the threes with preference.

On the defensive end, Stuckey can be a very aggressive defender. He looks however sometimes a bit unconcerned in this area. But when he goes for the Defense, he is there with big pressure.

Frank Wiseler (1m85 – PG – 1989 – Team Urspring)

After a slower game on Saturday, Wiseler showed up big time during the first 20 minutes of Sunday’s game. With three threes in a row, he helped his team to stay in the game during the first half when Urspring was trailing big. He is the team captain and he showed why. His scoring pressure has been a little bit decreased with the addition of Maurice Stuckey so that Wiseler could concentrate more on his playmaking skills.

He is living a lot from his good drives to the basket where he guards control over himself and the ball. He can go for some beautiful passes when the help comes as he sees the open man very well. He sometimes looks for the fancy stuff but it is more a youth error than the absolute show forcing move. Wiseler has solid athleticism for the European level which allows him to score against the big guys on his drives too.

Wiseler has finished his stay at Urspring is currently looking to move to the NCAA.

Andreas Seiferth (2m05 – C – 1989 – ALBA Berlin)

With a new 3-year deal in his pocket, Seiferth came to Langen as the only real inside threat for the Top4 rookies. With a very long and thin frame, Seiferth looked however pretty aggressive in his moves and not afraid of using his elbows. He scored nearly all his baskets after a back-to-the-basket turn around jump hook.

He connected this move with both hands after he always faked in the other direction before his turn. Seiferth showed also correct athletic abilities on an extremely powerful two handed dunk with the foul on the break. However, Seiferth seems to have still big problems with his mid-distance shot.  He could not connect one shot from around the key or make one free-throw during the whole tournament.

Seiferth will be with ALBA Berlin for the next three season and get a lot of minutes with the farm team. For joining the professionals already next season will be too early for him probably.

Thomas Schoeps (1m88 – PG – 1989 – ALBA Berlin)

Schoeps was the absolute leader of the ALBA team on the floor, on both ends. During the final, he did a good job in defense to limit Stuckey to 14 points only. Offensively, he lived a lot from his jump shots that he can hit from everywhere on the court. He is not afraid also to go up against defenders for the long range missile. And this despite a shot that looks perfectible as he takes it a bit from over his shoulder.

Schoeps has already a well developed body and looked “older” than the other guys on the court. On his drives, he sees the cutters but he is not a John-Stockton like assist collector. However, with his good developed body, Schoeps is present in rebounding. He collected 14 rebounds combined in the two games of the tournament.

In Part 2, I will talk about the players from Bonn/Rhöndorf and Breitengüssbach as well I give a short outlook on the players of the next generation (91 and 92 born)

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