Bayer Giants Leverkusen

Bayer Giants Leverkusen
Founded 1961
League Pro B (3rd division)
Team history TuS Bayer 04 Leverkusen (1961-1983)
TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen (1983-2000)
Bayer Giants Leverkusen
(2000-present)
Arena Wilhelm Dopatka Halle (3,500 seats)
Based in Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia
Team colors white and red
Head coach Stephan Ruers
Championships German Championship: 1970, 1971, 1972, 1976, 1979, 1985, 1986, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996
German Cup: 1970, 1971, 1974, 1976, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995
Website www.Bayer-Basketball.de

Bayer Giants Leverkusen is a professional basketball club, part of the Bayer Leverkusen sports club based in Leverkusen, Germany. 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 Pro B (3rd division) to restructure. The license for the Basketball Bundesliga was transferred to the newly formed Giants Düsseldorf.

Contents

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 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 soccer operations. 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]

2009-2010 Roster

4 Florian Trmal Small Forward
5 Max Brauer Shooting Guard
7 Tom Spöler Small Forward
9 Farid Sadek Shooting Guard
10 Rodney Foster Point Guard
12 Ben Spöler Center
13 Lennard Jördell Power Forward
13 Matthias Wojdyla Small Forward
15 Moritz Thimm Center
17 Sven Hartmann Shooting Guard
20 Matthias Mauksch Shooting Guard
22 Mathis Mönninghoff Shooting Guard
24 Mostafa Shukoor Shooting Guard
40 Hunter Henry Power Forward

Roster updated 03-31-2010

Notable players

  • Michael Pappert 4 seasons: '85-'89
  • Jochen Pollex 3 seasons: '69-'72
  • Sven Schultze 3 seasons: '02-'05
  • Derrick Taylor 2 seasons: '97-'99
  • Norbert Thimm 10 seasons: '69-'72,'74-'81
  • Lutz Wadehn 3 seasons: '86-'89
  • Christian Welp 5 seasons: '91-'96
  • Denis Wucherer 9 seasons: '92-'98, '02-'05
  • Mike Hansen 3 seasons: '99-'02
  • Kristjan Kangur 2 seasons: '04-'06

References

External links

Team Homepage (German)