European Prospects

This weekend, the NBBL Top 4 will determine who will become the new German U19 champion. Before the tournament, we talked to some of the players to follow during the two days in Hagen. We start with the hosts from Phoenix Hagen and their Forward Fabien Bleck.

Hagen qualified for the first time since 2007 for the NBBL Top 4 and the games will be at your gym. Do you consider your team as a favorite for the title?

I do not think that we are the favorites for the title. The game against Bremerhaven will be very difficult as we are more or less on the same level. The two teams from the South look like favorites to me as they have the experience to have participated to a Top 4 already and because they have very good individual players.

You had a lot of problems to qualify for the Top 4 in a Quarter-Final match-up with Paderborn. What made Paderborn that strong despite the loss of their top scorers, Ole and Lars Wendt, last summer?

Paderborn was despite the departures as good team, that played good team Basketball and that played always hard and with a lot of intensity. In the first game, we have been surprised by their intensity and that’s why we lost. It were especially their three leaders (Till Gloger, Dominik Wolf and Sirak Tadesse) that made their team so strong. The other players knew exactly what their roles were and that’s how they made it so difficult for us.

You had in the third game of the series your probably best game of the season with 39 points and 8 three-pointers. How satisfied are you with your personal development?

By now, I am satisfied with my development even if I have not been as dominant in the first part of the season. I work a lot on my weaknesses and my strengths and try to become better all the time. This has worked off in the last weeks. This is why my shot is falling better now.

Eisbären Bremerhaven are more or less a surprising invite to the Top 4. Where do you see their strengths and where can you attack them?

For me, it was not a surprise that they qualified. Bremerhaven plays very physical and intensively. The players always give 100% and play as hard as possible. Throughout the season, they have shown that they can be very dominant and never give up. This is their main strength that they have shown during the Playoffs where they won nearly every game in overtime and always believed in their chance.

How do you see your future? With the new 6+6 rule (6 Germans + 6 foreigners) in the Bundesliga, did Phoenix promise you a spot in the professional roster for next season already?

Yes, they promised me a spot but it will be me who has to show that I am worth of it. I will try everything to develop like I want to develop. In that case, I will get my chance. In order to get more playing time, I will have a second license with another team in order to get more experience and a bigger role.

Fabian Bleck is 1m99 tall Small Forward. He averaged 17.4ppg (61.0% 2FGs – 27.5% 3FGs), 9.4rpg, 3.0apg and 1.1bpg over the 16 games of the season.