August  2011

Kevin Ratzsch - Down Under

When you think of the 'land down under' often images of beaches, rugby and the Crocodile Hunter come to mind!  While those are all accurate some would forget about the sport of Basketball which is alive and well in Australia.  After a few seasons of lean times, the Aussie NBL has returned to strength once again and the promise of the 2011-12 season is thrilling!

Enter Kevin Ratzsch - two summers ago Kevin played in the 2nd division of Australian basketball as another struggling import looking to impress.  But as the saying goes "talent is like cream, always rises to the top", that is exactly what Kevin did.  After pacing his team to a first place finish he took them all the way into the league finals.  Moreover he showcased his talents in the HIGH STAKES hoops tournament and more than held his own against current and former NBL greats.  The impression he left was so great people continued to think about him for years to come.

Enter Coach Tim Hudson - always a coach with a keen eye, Hudson identified Ratzsch right away as a player with not just the ability to play in the NBL but also with the ability to become a star in his own right.  Despite his urgings the Sydney Kings did not give the nod to Kevin to join the squad in 2010-11.  No problems for the patience of Tim Hudson.  Once the off season rolled around again he and the rest of the coaching staff were all of one accord and immediately made the offer to retain Kevin's services.

Now Kevin will get the chance to prove his ability in the blossoming NBL this season as he suits up for the Sydney Kings.  We expect great things from the Kings this season and hope to see Kevin lead that charge.  GOOD LUCK Kevin!

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April  2011

Kyle Austin - NBA Bound

Sometime the path that gets you there is not straight.  In the case of Kyle Austin that is exactly right.  After finishing high school Kyle was a highly sought after recruit finally landing up in the powerful USC program where he trained alongside many great players.  Tim Floyd, the coach at that time, has a great eye for talent and he immediately identified as Kyle as a star of the future.  Unfortunately a scandal rocked the basketball environment at USC and Kyle was forced to transfer out to pursue his basketball dream.  Not to be dissuaded he landed on his feet at UC Riverside and promptly took over that league. 

Two seasons there and two All conference selections is enough to make anyone look in the mirror and seriously evaluate their priorities and direction.  Kyle felt there is no time like the present to test his mettle against top tier talent whether it be here in the USA or abroad.  A glitch in the NBA early entry draft caused Kyle to be ineligible for this year's draft.  No problems, he quickly declared he was going pro during the 2010 NBA draft and shook the basketball world again as nobody had ever done it quite like this.

Without being part of the draft Kyle is not able to catch on to any summer league teams but his final goal is not the NBA summer league, it is the NBA period.  Interest is pouring in from all over Europe, Asia and South America to secure his services but Kyle wants to make the right choice and land in a market that will help him move to the next level. 

We know that wherever he lands will be another step closer towards his final goal.  A goal we will help him achieve every step of the way.

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March  2010

Curtis Terry - Back on Track

Leading the Mountain West conference in assists as a senior and having an NBA household name as your brother sometimes just isn't enough.  In Curtis Terry's case it sure wasn't.  After finishing up at UNLV in 2008 Curtis had a few NBA workouts but soon found himself on the outside looking in.  A move to the NBDL seemed like the logical step, but as many have found out before, things don't always work out the way you plan. 

Some real shuffling of the talent on the LA Defenders team, coupled with an ankle injury soon had Curtis off the floor and then out of the league.  That did not dissuade Curtis from his goal of playing pro basketball and the rehab trail quickly returned him to health.  But now, where to turn is the most important question.  Just a year earlier Curtis had lead UNLV to the NCAA tournament as a major player but now he found himself without a job or adequate representation.  A chance conversation with an old teammate of his lead him to the doors of Basketball Beyond Borders.

With an ever expanding global network B3 secured a spot for Curtis in a somewhat unlikely market, but one that Curtis is now thriving in,...Africa.  Playing for arguably the best team in Angola called Petro Atletico de Luanda, Curtis has established himself as one of the best imports in a talented domestic league.  Right before the season started Curtis played and starred in the FIBA Africa Champions Club for men.  He lead his team to the championship game and for his efforts was named to the all-star 5 and was also named the Most Outstanding combo/off guard of the tournament.

We know he will continue his great play all through the season and hope to see him hoist the club championship of Africa Cup over his head at the end of the season.

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Aug  2009

Robert Jarvis - The rookie season

History repeats itself.  In everything it is true and nothing more so than sports.  Players start off at the 'bottom of the barrel' and earn their respect game by game.  When they reach the top, sometimes it is just in time to start over.  But in this case it is with eager anticipation that Robert Jarvis looks upon his incumbent rookie season.

A great collegiate campaign saw Robert become one of the leaders of his program at Oral Roberts University and also league wide recognition in the very competitive Summit League.

Now Robert has been given the opportunity to take his game overseas and start at the point guard spot for ISS Sportino Inowroclaw of the top league in Poland.   That league is full of top flight talent and Robert is really going to have a chance to show his complete game as he will be the leader of this young team.  There is no question that the first year overseas is a critical one and we at Basketball Beyond Borders believe that Robert is going to really open some eyes as his chance comes.

The opportunities that will arise for Robert are ones he will make himself.  Just like every other player at B3, we always say that it is not us who makes the opportunity but it is you as the player.  We expect that opportunities will abound as Robert makes his presence felt in the Polish league this season.

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Dec  2008

Jamar Brown - Closer than ever

The basketball highway is a journey like so many aspects of life.  Nobody knows that better than Jamar Brown.  Coming out of a Division II NCAA school already can cause people to think you are 'not quite as good' and Jamar has battled that stigma his entire career.  Putting together a solid season in the CBA when he first got out of college showed his developing talent.  Prior to coming to Basketball Beyond Borders, Jamar himself questioned some of his destinations and his career path.

A seasoned vet of the European ranks, Jamar has had his ups and downs.  Last season proved especially difficult as he found himself dealing with the passing of a loved one.  Basketball is never easy and not being able to focus 100% is the difference between great success and failure.....but what is done is done.

Back to the present - Jamar's fantastic workouts all summer at the Denver Nuggets facility, the Pepsi Center, caused considerable talk.  Shortly thereafter Jamar was approached by the new head coach of the Colorado 14'ers to spend this season in the USA, suiting up for that franchise in the NBDL.  Finally, a chance to put all the questions to rest and to show that he has the type of talent to place himself among the elite of the D league.

Every basketball player knows that the final 'dream' destination is to make it to the big time.  The National Basketball League is what every player strives to achieve.  Jamar Brown is no different and though his journey has taken some detours, he has had his eye on that goal since college.  This season his goal is within his grasp.  Perhaps the future holds a call-up?  No matter what, we will be with him every step of the way.

To view Jamar's full profile click here.

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March 2008

Sam Jones  -   Life in Spain

Leadership is one of the most important qualities in a point guard.  Then it is no wonder why Sam Jones is a much sought after player till this point in his career.  After winning the Dutch Championship back to back in the last two seasons with Eiffel Towers, the team did not make Sam an offer worthy of his contribution and one of the most beloved players in the Dutch league made the decision to leave.  Rotterdam got wind of this and quickly invited Sam to join their team on a temporary basis as Sam waited for an offer in Spain.  When it finally did come Sam jumped at the opportunity to take his game to the competitive leagues of Spain LEB2..  When he arrived he found a team in complete  disarray after starting the season undefeated at 4-0.  After that the squad had lost 8 in a row and was desperately searching for a leader.

Enter Sam Jones.

After restoring order and bringing his edgy winning mentality to the club, Sam now has them firmly back into the playoff race and has been one of the hottest teams in LEB2 since the Christmas break.  Now Caceres 2016 is making real noise in the league as they shoot up the standings and at the steering wheel you can find Sam guiding this surge into the post season.  There is no doubt he will end the season as a well known organizer in the Spanish league and if all goes as planned he may add another title to his already impressive list of accolades. 

And he will not soon be forgotten in Holland either as his popular kids basketball camp continues year after year with great success.  For more information on his camps please click http://www.basketballjones.nl

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Sept 2007

Darnell Hinson - Down Under

No respect can lead to great results.  Perhaps that is the case with Darnell Hinson.  After being an All-American at NCAA2 Champion Northeastern Oklahoma, Darnell found himself without a lot of options after his senior season.  Despite the fact that he did land a summer league opportunity with the San Antonio Spurs, many teams did pass on Darnell as a rookie which landed him in Germany 2.

A great season in Germany did get him noticed and finally he landed in Holland, where he put together two seasons which saw him in the top 5 of several statistical categories.

After an off season that saw him pursued by many teams in many countries Darnell decided to accept and offer from and play in the land "down under"....Australia.  Suiting up for the West Sydney Razorbacks from the highly competitive National Basketball League in Australia, Darnell is already making his presence felt in the early season.  We expect great things from Darnell as his career moves forward and we know that he will be a household name in Australia in no time at all.

For a complete view of his career and complete stats, please visit Darnell's profile page.

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December 2006

Jerome Gumbs - Turning up the heat in Argentina

One of the best shooting guards/small forwards  to come out of the US Virgin Islands is showing what his game is all about.  After a solid college career at University of San Francisco that didn't show his full game repertoire, Jerome has opened some eyes down south.

Post university workouts with NBA's Sacramento Kings really gave Jerome an indication of the heights he could reach by setting his mind to the work that lay before him, and he embraced it with relish.  Well, his hard work is paying off now.

Currently Jerome finds himself playing in the TNA league in Argentina where he is leading both his team, Ciclista Olympico, and the entire league in scoring at better than 23ppg.  That in of itself is by no means rare in the world of basketball, BUT Jerome is doing all that while taking just slightly more than 10 shots per game while shooting a red hot 76% from the field!  And he is not just doing it on the offensive end, he is also posting better than 4rpg and is tied for team lead in blocked shots. 

Should Jerome continue his assault on the Argentinean basketball league, there is no doubt his team will find themselves competing for the championship and by default Jerome will be one of the favorites to garner MVP honors.  The future is bright in Argentina and Jerome will continue to carve out his place in the South American landscape.

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