Bayer Giants Leverkusen

Bayer Giants Leverkusen is a professional basketball club, part of the Bayer Leverkusen sports club based in Leverkusen, Germany. It currently plays in ProA, German second league.

Bayer Giants Leverkusen
LeaguesProA
Founded1961 (1961)
HistoryTuS Bayer 04 Leverkusen 1961–1983
TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen 1983–2000
Bayer Giants Leverkusen
2000–present
ArenaWilhelm Dopatka Halle
Capacity3,500
LocationLeverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia
Championships14 German Championships
10 German Cup
1 ProB
Websitewww.bayer-basketball.de

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' CupR16
1990–91 1 Bundesliga 1st Champion 1 Champions CupQF
1991–92 1 Bundesliga 1st 1 EuroleagueGS
1992–93 1 Bundesliga 1st Champion 1 EuroleagueGS
1993–94 1 Bundesliga 1st Semifinalist 1 EuroleagueGS
1994–95 1 Bundesliga 1st Champion 1 EuroleagueGS
1995–96 1 Bundesliga 1st Runner-up 1 EuroleagueGS
1996–97 1 Bundesliga 4th 1 EuroleagueGS
1997–98 1 Bundesliga 8th 2 EuroCupR32
1998–99 1 Bundesliga 4th 3 Korać CupGS
1999–00 1 Bundesliga 2nd 3 Korać CupGS
2000–01 1 Bundesliga 3rd Third position 1 SuproLeagueRS
2001–02 1 Bundesliga 5th 3 Korać CupR16
2002–03 1 Bundesliga 8th 4 Regional Challenge Cup NorthRU
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
  1. Sold its place to Giants Düsseldorf.

Honours
  • German Champions
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 (1): 2013

Roster

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

Bayer Giants Leverkusen roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.Nat.Name
PG 1 Celebić, Nino 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) 30 – (1991-01-03)3 January 1991
PG 3 Kahl, Luca 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) 23 – (1997-06-01)1 June 1997
PF 5 Lasher, Colter 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) 27 – (1994-01-06)6 January 1994
SF 8 Blass, Valentin 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 25 – (1995-04-17)17 April 1995
PF 9 Nick, Benjamin 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 23 – (1997-04-22)22 April 1997
SG 11 Eberhardt, Sheldon 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) 25 – (1995-11-02)2 November 1995
C 12 Selimović, Dzemal 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) 21 – (1999-06-24)24 June 1999
SG 13 Winter, Lennard 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) 20 – (2000-12-08)8 December 2000
PF 14 Schick, Marian 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) 34 – (1986-10-22)22 October 1986
SF 15 Schönborn, Tim 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 30 – (1990-10-29)29 October 1990
C 17 Edigin Jr., Eddy 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) 25 – (1995-10-17)17 October 1995
SF 18 Fankhauser, Thomas 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) 19 – (2001-08-26)26 August 2001
C 22 Heinzmann, Dennis 2.16 m (7 ft 1 in) 30 – (1991-01-22)22 January 1991
SG 25 Kuczmann, Michael 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 27 – (1993-03-27)27 March 1993
PF 33 Hornsby, Nick 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) 25 – (1995-06-21)21 June 1995
PF 34 Twiehoff, Götz 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 35 – (1985-08-12)12 August 1985
Head coach

Hansi Gnad

Assistant coach(es)

Jacques Schneider

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Injured
Updated: 10 March 2020

Notable players

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

Head coaches
Coach Start End
Hans-Jürgen Gnad2018

References
  1. http://www.leverkusen.com/bayer04/index2.php?site=history/index_e.html
  2. http://www.leverkusen.com/bayer04/index2.php?site=history/index_e.html
  3. http://www.rp-online.de/bergischesland/leverkusen/nachrichten/leverkusen/Giants-Fants-buhen-Dezernenten-aus_aid_545344.html%5B%5D
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-12-30. Retrieved 2010-03-31.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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