Scoring 100 points in a basketball game is no easy feat and something that is about as difficult to do as score 10 goals in a Ice Hockey game, score 8 touchdowns in a game or hit 6 home runs in a game. All these feats are very hard to do and scoring 100 points is just so unusual, but it has been done. The most famous 100 point game is the Wilt Chamberlain one from 1962, but there have also been other well known guys who have accomplished it like Croatian legend Drazen Petrovic who scored 112 points in his homeland in 1985 while in the last decade Jack Taylor who played at Grinnell College scored 138 points in 2012 and 109 points in 2013 against Faith Baptist and Crossroads College. It has been done even in Germany as last season American Jonathan Braeger scored 100 points in a Regionalliga game. This season the last American with the name of JJ Culver (193-G-1997, college: WBU) to score 100 points in the United States is balling his first season in Germany with Rasta Vechta 2. The American did it in 2019 with NAIA team Wayland Baptist University against Southwestern Adventist University. That historic event may have been more than 3 years ago, but he still has fond memories to this day. He also knows it couldn’t have been accomplished without his special basketball family. ‘When you have great teammates anything is possible including scoring 100 points. And I’d say during half time was the point my team wanted to see how many points I could score’, remembered JJ Culver. The ex 100 point man has come to Germany and currently is conquering the Pro B this season.
JJ Culver who lists Ruben Lopez, Maurice, Josh Throns, Jack Nobles, and Sammy as his best teammates of all-time was born on December 14th, 1997 in Lubbock, Texas and attended Coronado high school. That the Culver family stand for excellence in sports is an understatement. JJ’s older brother Trey was a stellar athlete at Texas Tech for track and field and tied the fourth best mark in collegiate history in the high jump. His younger brother Jarrett reached the NCAA final with Texas Tech and was a #6 draft pick in 2019 and played with Minnesota, Memphis and is currently with the Atlanta Hawks. It is only normal that JJ developed a chip on his shoulder having such a competitive relationship with NBA brother Jarrett. ‘It does give me a chip on my shoulder! He’s an amazing player and he gives me great advice. I also give him advice on things that I see. We have a close bond’, warned JJ Culver. The American played at Wayland Baptist University (NAIA) from 2016-2020 playing a total of 126 games. In his freshman year he averaged 9.8ppg, 3.9rpg, 1.4apg, 1.7spg, FGP: 56.0%, 3PT: 30.7%, FT: 67.4%. He might have only scored in double figures in 13 of 29 games, but showed his explosiveness hitting Oklahoma S for 36 points in a big 113-107 victory. In his second season he averaged 10.7ppg, 5.4rpg, 2.2apg, 1.6spg, FGP: 39.3%, 3PT: 29.1%, FT: 67.2%. He scored in double figures in 12 of 34 games including scoring 32 points against Jarvis Christian in a 97-82 win. His game really took off in his junior season as he gave consistency a new meaning as he averaged 17.6ppg, 6.6rpg, 3.0apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 51.6%, 3PT: 37.6%, FT: 77.8%. He scored in double figures in 24 of 32 games including 35 points in a 106-74 crushing win over Langston. He took another massive step in his senior year as he averaged 23.1ppg, 6.4rpg, 3.2apg, 2.7spg, FGP: 46.2%, 3PT: 34.3%, FT: 76.8%. He scored in double figures in 32 of 33 games and scored 30 points or more 7 times including his 100 point game and hit Bellevue for 40 points in a tough 79-78 loss. ‘The best achievement besides the 100 points would be winning the regular season and getting a ring. I was so proud of the players and staff and everyone who supported us. And that elite 8 team was very special’, stated JJ Culver. He racked up many achievements in his 4 year NAIA career with SAC Tournament Finalist -2018, NAIA D1 Elite Eight -2018, SAC Regular Season Champion -2019, All-SAC Player of the Year -2019, All-SAC First Team -2019, NABC All-NAIA D1 First Team -2019, and NAIA All-Star Game -2020. It is only logical that he is extremely blessed for having gotten the total trust from head coach Ty Harrelson in his 4 year career. ‘He coached me hard, told me to keep working, he supports me, tells me about his experience, and much more. I could go on forever’, warned JJ Culver.
The Texas native who lists NBA player Malik Beasley as his toughest foe on the court when he was on the NBA Summer League squad of the Minnesota Timberwolves began his rookie season in Lithuania and split time with 2 teams with Ereliai Mazeikiai (Lithuania-NKL) playing 3 games averaging 1.7ppg, 2.3rpg, 2.3apg,and then in Nov.’21 moved to BC Silute (Lithuania-NKL) playing 24 games averaging 7.1ppg, 2.5rpg, 1.1apg, 1.2spg, FGP: 60.7%, 3PT: 29.1%, FT: 71.4%. That first station overseas is never easy for an American and he remembers hard times when his stomach was growling for some fine American food. ‘I knew I was very far away from home when I didn’t see as many fast food restaurants in Lithuania’, smiled JJ Culver. His minutes at BC Silute were unstable as one game he played 32 minutes and the next only 8 minutes, but he did show some of his unique skills scoring 26 points against Delikatesas and 22 points against Telsiai. Even if he had serious battles against American teammate Delante Jones in practice, it proved more than worthwhile. ‘Our battles were amazing!! He’s one of the best teammates I’ve ever had! He’s like a brother to me. We both helped each other grow so much! I literally can’t say enough about how great a teammate he was’, commented JJ Culver. He closed out his rookie season with a tough 5 game playoff loss to LSU-Atletas. ‘I’ll never forget how close we were to winning that series. Just got to keep learning and keep moving forward’, expressed JJ Culver.
The explosive scorer who lists Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Steph Curry, and Larry Bird on his personal NBA Mount Rushmore is playing his second professional season in Germany. When he first heard about the offer, he didn’t know much about the country, but knew how competitive the leagues were. He decided to join Rasta Vechta 2 who compete in the third division. It was a no brainer to come to Vechta, because his ex coach Ty Harrelson was coach of Rasta Vechta of the second division. ‘I love Coach Harrelson and he’s helped me with many things throughout my life. He’s the best coach I’ve ever had’, warned JJ Culver. He was able to play once for Harrelson scoring 3 points in 11 minutes against PS Karlsruhe, but this season he is primarily playing for ambitious and up and coming German head coach Hendrik Gruehn who led Rasta Vechta 2 last season from the Regionalliga up to the Pro B and helped the Vechta U-19 team reach the top 4 in Frankfurt. After sitting out the 20-21 season and having growing pains in Lithuania last season, he has come in very hungry this season. ‘I’m very confident! I just trust the work that I’ve put in and I just got to continue to work and get better’, warned JJ Culver. He has been rewarded averaging 16,7ppg, 6,6rpg, 3,6apg and 2,6 spg. He scored 30 points in a 89-81 win over Schwelm and 28 points in a tough 102-91 loss to Rhondorf. The team is only 5-7 and still searching for a defensive identity. This weekend Culver and co will be seeking revenge and first win of 2023 in Rhondorf. Coach Gruhn is ecstatic that he made the right choice with Culver. ‘I saw him coming in as being a great defender that always plays with intensity and aggressiveness for the team. And that is exactly what he has given us this season. He sets the tone on defense and is a huge role model for the young kids. He understood right away that he is playing for a farm team where the first priority is to develop the young players. He is a guy that can come through in tough situations and even win a game. He has a great character and is always smiling. He is a gym rat. We sometimes have to throw him out of the gym’, smiled Hendrik Gruhn.
The guard who has Jordan as his GOAT and Steph Curry as the greatest point guard of all time is a 193cm guard that compares his game to Curry. He continues to watch a lot of film on the Golden State Warrior and already did this in school with Ty Harrelson seeing how he read screens and got open. He has always been a scorer and it continues in Germany. ‘It’s always been in my genes. I love to score and I also love winning’, warned JJ Culver. Offense has always been what he is known for, but he also has proved to be a 2 way player. ‘One of my main strengths is defense. Defense is very important and that’s what wins championships. I see myself as a great defender now and I want to become the best defender I can be’, stressed JJ Culver. His chip continues to be heavy as this phenomenal talent is only at the beginning of his career. He knows what has to be done in order for his chances to move up the basketball ladder to improve. ‘I’ve been working on my mid range, one and two dribble pull ups, and fade aways. I’m also keeping my strengths sharp, which include 3’s, layups, driving, and more’, added JJ Culver. It will be interesting to follow where the journey of JJ Culver will go in the next years. It is also interesting to know what he gets asked more on a regular basis, about his 100 point game or that he is the brother of NBA player Jarrett Culver. ‘I get asked how it feels to have scored 100 points a lot. I tell everyone it was an amazing feeling and a special day’, stressed JJ Culver. There is the answer. But the love for each other will always be there even when each guy would say they would win in a 1-1 battle on the court. After his 100 point feat Jarrett tweeted with ‘JJ you a legend brother’. That is exactly how brotherly love should be. Always there for one another no matter what.
Tags : JJ CULVER, RASTA VECHTA, GERMAN BASKETBALL
