Bayer Giants Leverkusen
Bayer Giants Leverkusen is a professional basketball club, part of the TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen sports club based in Leverkusen, Germany. It currently plays in ProA, the second division of German basketball.
| Bayer Giants Leverkusen | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Leagues | ProA | ||
| Founded | 1961 | ||
| History | TuS Bayer 04 Leverkusen 1961–1983 TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen 1983–2000 Bayer Giants Leverkusen 2000–present | ||
| Arena | Wilhelm Dopatka Halle | ||
| Capacity | 3,500 | ||
| Location | Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia | ||
| Championships | 14 German Championships 10 German Cup 1 ProB | ||
| Website | www | ||
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Based on the number of titles, Leverkusen is the most successful team in the history of German Basketball.[1] In 2009, the Bayer company cut down sponsorship and the club went down to Germany's ProB (third division) to restructure. The license for the Basketball Bundesliga was transferred to the newly formed Giants Düsseldorf.
History
Founded as TuS Bayer 04 Leverkusen in 1961, the club moved up to first division Basketball Bundesliga in 1968. The club won 5 national championships and 4 German Cups as TuS 04 Leverkusen before it changed its name and continued its dominance as TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen. Until today, the club has won more national titles than any other German basketball team.[2]
To the disdain of all of its supporters, in 2008 the Bayer company decided to make dramatic cuts in its sponsorship for the team and simply focus on its football operations and amateur athletics. This move forced the club's basketball team to cede its Basketball Bundesliga license to the newly formed Giants Düsseldorf and move down to Germany's 3rd Division Pro B to restructure.
Thousands of club supporters gathered in the streets of Leverkusen to protest the company's move.[3][4]
In 2013, the club promoted to the ProA League.
Season by season
| Season | Tier | League | Pos. | German Cup | European competitions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989–90 | 1 | Bundesliga | 1st | Champion | 2 Cup Winners' Cup | R16 |
| 1990–91 | 1 | Bundesliga | 1st | Champion | 1 Champions Cup | QF |
| 1991–92 | 1 | Bundesliga | 1st | 1 Euroleague | GS | |
| 1992–93 | 1 | Bundesliga | 1st | Champion | 1 Euroleague | GS |
| 1993–94 | 1 | Bundesliga | 1st | Semifinalist | 1 Euroleague | GS |
| 1994–95 | 1 | Bundesliga | 1st | Champion | 1 Euroleague | GS |
| 1995–96 | 1 | Bundesliga | 1st | Runner-up | 1 Euroleague | GS |
| 1996–97 | 1 | Bundesliga | 4th | 1 Euroleague | GS | |
| 1997–98 | 1 | Bundesliga | 8th | 2 EuroCup | R32 | |
| 1998–99 | 1 | Bundesliga | 4th | 3 Korać Cup | GS | |
| 1999–00 | 1 | Bundesliga | 2nd | 3 Korać Cup | GS | |
| 2000–01 | 1 | Bundesliga | 3rd | Third position | 1 SuproLeague | RS |
| 2001–02 | 1 | Bundesliga | 5th | 3 Korać Cup | R16 | |
| 2002–03 | 1 | Bundesliga | 8th | 4 Regional Challenge Cup North | RU | |
| 2003–04 | 1 | Bundesliga | 8th | |||
| 2004–05 | 1 | Bundesliga | 13th | |||
| 2005–06 | 1 | Bundesliga | 10th | |||
| 2006–07 | 1 | Bundesliga | 8th | |||
| 2007–08 | 1 | Bundesliga | 6th[lower-alpha 1] | |||
| 2008–09 | 4 | 1st Regionalliga | 1st | |||
| 2009–10 | 3 | ProB | 7th | |||
| 2010–11 | 3 | ProB | 8th | |||
| 2011–12 | 3 | ProB | 11th | |||
| 2012–13 | 3 | ProB | 5th | |||
| 2013–14 | 2 | ProA | 13th | |||
| 2014–15 | 2 | ProA | 14th | |||
| 2015–16 | 2 | ProA | 15th | |||
| 2016–17 | 3 | ProB | 4th | |||
| 2017–18 | 3 | ProB | 8th | |||
| 2018–19 | 3 | ProB | 1st | |||
| 2019–20 | 2 | ProA | 5th | |||
| 2020–21 | 2 | ProA | 5th | |||
| 2021–22 | 2 | ProA | 5th | |||
- Sold its place to Giants Düsseldorf.
Honours
- Winners (14): 1970, 1971, 1972, 1976, 1979, 1985, 1986, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996
- Winners (10): 1970, 1971, 1974, 1976, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995
- Winners (2): 2013, 2019
Roster 2022/23[5]
| # | Name | Birth Date | Nationality | Height | Body Weight | Position | Former Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Abdul Mohamed | 03.12.1996 | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Canada |
2,01 m | 93 kg | SF/PF | Montreal Alliance (CAN-CEBL) |
| 2 | Aimé Olma | 16.05.2004 |  Germany |
1,93 m | 83 kg | SG | Giants Düsseldorf (GER-ProB) |
| 3 | Gabriel de Oliveira | 03.03.1998 | Germany /  Brazil |
2,06 m | 102 kg | PF | Rostock Seawolves (BBL) |
| 4 | Lennart Litera | 15.04.2004 | Germany |
1,91 m | 70 kg | SG | BBV Köln-Nordwest |
| 5 | Kadre Gray | 02.07.1997 | Canada |
1,85 m | 86 kg | PG/SG | Ottawa BlackJacks (CAN-CEBL) |
| 7 | Matthew Meredith | 07.07.2000 | Germany /  United States |
1,98 m | 93 kg | SG/SF | Skyliners Frankfurt (BBL) |
| 8 | Dejan Kovacevic | 27.12.1996 | Germany |
2,08 m | 99 kg | PF | Crailsheim Merlins (BBL) |
| 9 | Marius Stoll | 09.07.1999 | Germany |
1,97 m | 94 kg | PG | OrangeAcademy (GER-ProB) |
| 10 | Haris Hujic | 30.04.1997 | Germany |
1,92 m | 93 kg | PG/SG | BG Göttingen (BBL) |
| 12 | Melvin Jostmann | 12.07.2000 | Germany |
2,01 m | 105 kg | PF/C | Medipolis SC Jena (GER-ProA) |
| 18 | Justin Gnad | 24.06.1997 | Germany |
1,94 m | 105 kg | SF | Own Youth |
| 21 | Robert Drijencic | 20.04.1996 | Germany |
1,93 m | 93 kg | PG/SG/SF | Wiha Panthers Schwenningen (GER-ProA) |
| 22 | Dennis Heinzmann | 22.01.1991 | Germany |
2,16 m | 120 kg | C | RheinStars Köln (GER-ProB) |
| 24 | Thomas Fankhauser | 26.08.2001 | Germany |
2,01 m | 96 kg | SF/PF | RheinStars Köln (GER-ProB) |
| 30 | TreVion Crews | 03.03.1996 | United States |
1,83 m | 82 kg | PG | BBC Résidence (LUX) |
| 33 | Nick Hornsby | 21.06.1995 | United States |
2,01 m | 107 kg | SF/PF | Capital City Go-Go (NBA G-League) |
| 34 | Stef Van Bussel | 18.06.2004 |  Netherlands |
2,01 m | 100 kg | PF/C | BAL (basketball club) (NL) |
| 55 | Joel Lungelu | 20.08.2003 | Germany |
2,05 m | 114 kg | PF/C | Own Youth |
| HC | Hansi Gnad | 04.06.1963 | Germany |
Headcoach | |||
| AC | Jacques Schneider | 16.08.1992 | Germany |
Assistant Coach | |||
| AC | Philipp Stachula | 14.10.1987 | Germany |
Assistant Coach | |||
| AC | Philip Jacobs | 20.10.1993 | Germany |
Athletiktrainer | |||
Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationality not displayed.
Notable players
- To appear in this section a player must have played at least two seasons for the club AND either:
– Set a club record or won an individual award as a professional player.
– Played at least one official international match for his senior national team at any time.
- Stephan Baeck 4 seasons: '83–'85, '90–'92
- Gunther Behnke 11 seasons: '81–'92
- John Ecker 12 seasons: '71–'83
- Hansi Gnad 4 seasons: '95–'97, '99–'01
- Demond Greene 3 seasons: '02–'05
- Henning Harnisch 8 seasons: '88–'96
- Steven Hutchinson 3 seasons: '99–'02
- Rudi Kleen 11 seasons: '70–'81
- Moritz Kleine-Brockhoff 6 seasons: '88–'94
- Michael Koch 5 seasons: '91–'96
- Dieter Kuprella 9 seasons: '68–'77
- Michael Pappert 4 seasons: '85–'89
- Jochen Pollex 3 seasons: '69–'72
- Sven Schultze 3 seasons: '02–'05
- Norbert Thimm 10 seasons: '69–'72,'74–'81
- Christian Welp 5 seasons: '91–'96
- Denis Wucherer 9 seasons: '92–'98, '02–'05
Kristjan Kangur 2 seasons: '04–'06- John Best 3 seasons: '00–'03
- Tony Dawson 2 seasons: '95–'97
- Nate Fox 5 seasons: '02–'03, '05–'08
- Tom Garrick 2 seasons: '93–'95
- Nick Hornsby 2 seasons: '18–'20
- Kannard Johnson 4 seasons: '89–'93
- J. J. Mann 2 seasons: '20–'22
- Clinton Wheeler 4 seasons: '89–'93
Head coaches
| Coach | Start | End |
|---|---|---|
| Hans-Jürgen Gnad | 2018 |
References
- "Leverkusen, Bayer04: Bayer-Giants".
- "Leverkusen, Bayer04: Bayer-Giants".
- "Leverkusen: Giants-Fants buhen Dezernenten aus". www.rp-online.de. Archived from the original on 9 September 2012. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
- "Rettet die Giants! - Fans wollen Giants behalten (RP, 13.02.08)". Archived from the original on 2014-12-30. Retrieved 2010-03-31.
- "Kader - Giants TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen". www.giants-leverkusen.de. Retrieved 2023-03-27.
External links
- Team Homepage (in German)