The U18 ALBA Berlin big man is looking forward to playing in the ANGT Finals in his hometown
Win or lose, Doerries wants to learn from the experience
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Amon Doerries has experienced both highs and lows in his career. And looking back, the U18 ALBA Berlin forward realizes the only thing that matters is taking those results and learning from them for the future.
One of Doerries's biggest low points came in the 2021-22 season in Germany’s U16 JBBL league where ALBA lost in the playoff quarterfinals.
“One thing I thought about for a long time was our playoff loss in the JBBL. What made it particularly difficult was that everybody saw us as the favorite for the title and then we lost. I was really disappointed after the series even though we didn’t play that bad,” said Doerries.
The Potsdam native only had to wait one season to experience his top moment to date as ALBA defeated Young Rasta Dragons to win the 2023 U19 NBBL domestic crown.
“It was great. To finish the season in the best way possible with all those guys you like, it feels amazing. And it shows that all the work you put in matters,” said Doerries, who was two years younger than the competition.
Still, the 2.10-meter forward said in the long term, it doesn’t really matter much that his youth team was upset early in the playoffs or captured the championship.
“The thing I learned from both events was that in a couple of years, nobody cares about what happened, whether you lost or won. So what I took away from those experiences is that even if you have a bad game or season in the youth, it’s not so much about the result itself. But your development and the experience you gain throughout the first years of your career matter so much more,” he said.
Doerries is part of a very talented 2006 generation for Germany and he enjoys so many great players being in the same age group.
“It makes everything more competitive and brings so many opportunities. I think the German 2006 generation is a pretty good one, so we can compete with the top countries in the championship and against some of the best players all over Europe. That brings a ton of experience and chances to learn. So I think it only has upsides,” said Doerries, who in April played in the Albert Schweitzer Tournament - a biennial U18 national team event that takes place in Germany.
Another experience Doerries had with his generation was the Basketball Without Borders Europe Camp in August 2023 in Poland.
“The biggest takeaway for me was that you just have to take the shots you get. You cannot always be nice and try to find a more open shot. Of course, you don’t shoot every time you get the ball, but if there is a chance, just take it,” he explained.
Doerries will go through another major learning event in his home city in late May as ALBA was awarded a wild card for the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Finals.
“I’m very happy about it. To be honest, I didn’t expect it because of our placement in Podgorica. But now that we got it, it’s another really good chance to measure yourself against the best teams in Europe,” Doerries said of the German club placing sixth at the ANGT Podgorica with just one victory.
“And now with Overtime Elite joining as well there will even be some talents from the United States. It is going to be very exciting,” he added, referring to the American youth league that will field a team in Berlin as another wild card recipient.
Doerries is not only excited about the ANGT Finals but also about the EuroLeague Final Four.
“I am really excited to see some world-class basketball. I actually prefer to watch EuroLeague over NBA and at the Final Four there will be the best of the best,” he said. “So just by watching the games you can learn so much. And at the same weekend competing against some of the biggest prospects of Europe is just great. It’s going be a really exciting weekend.”
A weekend where Doerries will have new highs and lows that will help him develop in the long term.