TRENTON- Frantz Massenat played some baseball as a kid, until it became evident that he was destined for bigger things in another sport. Now, he is a star basketball player with one of the top clubs in Europe. But before he leaves for camp with his new squad, Massenat, who grew up in Ewing as a fan of the Thunder,...
TRENTON- Frantz Massenat played some baseball as a kid, until it became evident that he was destined for bigger things in another sport.
Now, he is a star basketball player with one of the top clubs in Europe. But before he leaves for camp with his new squad, Massenat, who grew up in Ewing as a fan of the Thunder, got a chance to realize one of his dreams.
Saturday night, Massenat, who just signed a three-year deal to play basketball for EWE Baskets Oldenburg in Germany, threw out the first pitch as the Trenton Thunder hosted Richmond. While he was nervous before the game about throwing a strike, he did not show it once he took the mound, as he split the plate.
Massenat, who will play guard for EWE Baskets, starred in high school for TCA, before moving on to Drexel University. His new team, which finished in second place in the German Bevo Bundesliga Basketball League, will take part in the inaugural Basketball Champions League next season as one of the top teams in Europe.
"We made the Champions League, which is new this season," Massenat said. "I think the level is going to be high. That is better for me, to play against other high-level teams around Europe. That may help me in the future."
Massenat is in town for a few more weeks, before he leaves for camp. But while he is here, he is running the This Is My Dream Skills Camp. The camp, which will run Tuesday through Thursday at TCA, will give youngsters a chance to work with both Massenat and James Clark.
"I have been living by this code all my life," Massenat said. "This is my dream. What it is, is me living my life. I wanted to create a skills clinic for the kids around here to get pro-level training. A lot of things that guys may do with NBA teams, I want them to be able to do here."
"When I was younger, I never got a chance to go do that," Massenat said. "If I can just show the kids that, and give them the intensity and the work ethic, the mindset, I tough it was a good thing to do."
FRANTZ MASSENAT RUNS THIS IS MY DREAM CAMP TUESDAY
Friday night saw the end of the Thunder's (52-30) seven-game winning streak.
But it was the way that Trenton lost the contest that had Bobby Mitchell upset.The Thunder lost 6-2 to the Flying Squirrels, and made five errors along the way. Trenton made three errors in the first four innings again Saturday night.
In the first 80 games of the season, Trenton made only 44 errors. In the game and a half played Friday night and Saturday, the Thunder made eight errors in 13 innings.
"There is no excuse for it," Mitchell said. "But you just have to turn the page. We just didn't concentrate and play well. You have to try to take that out there, day in and day out."
"We have been pretty good all year," Mitchell said. "But still, I thought yesterday, we lacked focus and came out a little flat."
With the violent storms that ripped through the area prior to the game, neither team had infield nor battling practice, which may have been a factor in the play.
"I think that could be a part of it, be neither did they," Mitchell said. "We had a routine that we were going to do, and then it rains. But that is part of baseball. You have to adjust to that."
"I thought that was part of it," Mitchell said. "We are a team that gets energy from working out pregame. They have fun doing it, and it gets everybody going. But both teams had to deal with it. We have to just turn the page and get better."
Contact Sean Miller at seanmillertrentontimes@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheProdigalSean