Bakken Bears

Bakken Bears is a Danish professional basketball club based in Aarhus. The club currently play in the Basketligaen, the top tier basketball league in Denmark. Founded in 1953, the club has won the Basketligaen 17 times so far and holds the record for the most championships. Along with their domestic play, the club is a regular in European competitions.

Bakken Bears
LeaguesBasketligaen
Founded1954 (1954)
HistoryAarhus Basketball Forening
1954–1962
Skovbakken Basketball
1962–1999
Bakken Bears
1999-present
ArenaVejlby-Risskov Hallen
Capacity2,050
LocationAarhus, Denmark
Team colorsNavy, Silver, White
     
PresidentClaus Hommelhoff
Team managerMichael Piloz
Head coachSteffen Wich
Affiliation(s)Bears Academy
Championships17 Danish Leagues
12 Danish Cups
Websitebakkenbears.com

History
Bears' alternate logo

Bakken Bears was formed in 1953 under the name of Aarhus Basketball Forening, or simply ABF. From 1962, the club was known as Skovbakken Basketball. Bears has been in the top Danish league almost every year since then and won its first title in 1958. Since then, the club has won a number of domestic titles and is now the most winning sports team in the history of the city of Aarhus.

In the years 2005 to 2009, Bakken Bears was a part of Aarhus Elite A/S, an elite sports organization in Aarhus that includes ia. AGF Football (soccer). In the last months of 2009 a group of local businessmen, sponsors and fans bought the team.

When Bakken Bears hosted Team FOG Næstved in Game 1 of the league semifinals in March 2009, 4,816 spectators watched the game in Aarhus Arena, which set an all-time attendance record for basketball in Denmark.

In the summer of 2018, the Bears' development team EBAA entered the Basketligaen as well.

On 27 March 2018, Bakken Bears qualified for the first time ever for a semifinal of a European competition, by eliminating ESSM Le Portel in the quarterfinals of the FIBA Europe Cup.[1]

Players

Current roster
Bakken Bears roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.Nat.Name
F 2 Møllgaard, Magnus 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) 83 kg (183 lb) 20 – (2000-11-20)20 November 2000
G 3 Harbo, Anton 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) 85 kg (187 lb) 20 – (2000-03-10)10 March 2000
P 4 Darboe, Adama 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) 86 kg (190 lb) 34 – (1986-04-26)26 April 1986
SF 5 Evans, Ryan 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) 99 kg (218 lb) 30 – (1990-06-19)19 June 1990
PG 7 Peterson, Q. J. 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) 83 kg (183 lb) 26 – (1994-10-12)12 October 1994
SF 8 Jukić, Darko 1.99 m (6 ft 6 in) 94 kg (207 lb) 30 – (1990-08-23)23 August 1990
C 11 Diouf, Michel 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) 102 kg (225 lb) 31 – (1989-04-19)19 April 1989
SF 12 Ongwae, Tylor 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) 93 kg (205 lb) 29 – (1991-07-15)15 July 1991
SF 13 Sahlertz, Morten 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 98 kg (216 lb) 31 – (1989-03-06)6 March 1989
F/C 23 Stephens, Deshawn 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) 104 kg (229 lb) 31 – (1989-10-09)9 October 1989
G 44 Laerke, Thomas 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) 90 kg (198 lb) 29 – (1991-04-04)4 April 1991
PG 55 Dentmon, Justin 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) 84 kg (185 lb) 35 – (1985-09-05)5 September 1985
Head coach

Steffen Wich

Assistant coach(es)
  • Anders Sommer
  • Jakob Freil
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Injured
Updated: November 2, 2020

Notable players

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationality not displayed.

Individual awards
Basketligaen MVP
Basketligaen Finals MVP

Honours

Domestic competitions
  • Basketligaen
    • Winners (18) : 1957–58, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20
      • Runners-up (8) : 1962–63, 1964–65, 1989–90, 1997–98, 2002–03, 2005–2006, 2009–10, 2014–15
  • Danish Cup
    • Winners (11): 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2018
      • Runners-up (6) : 1980, 1995, 2002, 2005, 2012, 2014

European competitions

Season by season
Season Tier League Pos. Danish Cup European competitions
2010–11 1 Basketligaen 1st Champion
2011–12 1 Basketligaen 1st Runner-up
2012–13 1 Basketligaen 1st Champion
2013–14 1 Basketligaen 1st Runner-up 3 EuroChallengeT16
2014–15 1 Basketligaen 2nd Round of 16 3 EuroChallengeRS
2015–16 1 Basketligaen 2nd Champion 3 FIBA Europe CupR32
2016–17 1 Basketligaen 1st Semifinalist 3 Champions LeagueRS
2017–18 1 Basketligaen 1st Champion 3 Champions LeagueQR2
4 FIBA Europe CupSF
2018–19 1 Basketligaen 1st Quarterfinalist 3 Champions LeagueQR2
4 FIBA Europe CupQF

Head coaches
  • Steffen Wich

References
  1. "Bakken Bears survive overtime drama in Le Portel, book ticket to Semis". FIBA Europe Cup. 27 March 2018. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
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