Bamberg Baskets facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bamberg Baskets
Leagues	BBL ENBL
Founded	1955; 70 years ago (1955)
History	List 1.FC 01 Bamberg (1955–1988) TTL Bamberg (1988–1995) TTL uniVersa Bamberg (1995–2000) TSK uniVersa Bamberg (2000–2003) GHP Bamberg (2003–2006) Brose Baskets (2006–2016) Brose Bamberg (2016–2023) Bamberg Baskets (2023–present)
Arena	Brose Arena
Capacity	6,150
Location	Bamberg, Germany
Team colors	Red, silver, white
Main sponsor	Brose Fahrzeugteile
President	Norbert Sieben
General manager	Philipp Galewski
Head coach	Anton Gavel
Team captain	Chris Sengfelder
Affiliation(s)	BBC Coburg
Championships	9 German Championships 6 German Cups 5 German Super Cups
Retired numbers	3 (5, 6, 23)
Website	bamberg.basketball
Uniforms
Home Away Third

The Bamberg Baskets is a professional basketball team from Bamberg, Germany. This club has won the German Championship nine times. They have also won the German Cup six times.

The team currently plays in the Basketball Bundesliga (BBL), which is Germany's top basketball league. They also compete in the FIBA Europe Cup. The company that runs the team is called Bamberger Basketball GmbH. From 2006 to 2023, the club was known as Brose Baskets and Brose Bamberg. This was because the German car parts company Brose Fahrzeugteile was their main sponsor.

History of the Bamberg Baskets

Early Years and First Bundesliga Games (1955–2003)

The basketball team of 1. FC 01 Bamberg first joined the Basketball Bundesliga, Germany's top league, in 1970. The team was moved down to a lower league twice (in 1979 and 1983). But they also moved back up twice (in 1982 and 1984).

In 1988, the basketball part of 1. FC 01 Bamberg became its own club. This happened because 1. FC 01 Bamberg was having money problems. The new club was called TTL Basketball Bamberg. TTL stood for a wallpaper and carpet company, which was their first main sponsor. In 1992, the team won the German Cup. This was Bamberg's first basketball trophy.

From 1995, the team changed its name again to TTL uniVersa Bamberg. This was after an insurance company called uniVersa Versicherungen. In 2000, the team faced more money problems. The TSK company helped save them, and the team became TSK uniVersa Bamberg. In 2003, disagreements led to another name change for the team.

Winning Their First Championship (2003–2006)

From 2003 to 2006, the team played as GHP Bamberg. This was the name of their new sponsor. They finished second in the Championship two years in a row. Then, in the 2004–05 season, they won their first German Championship title.

Winning the championship meant GHP Bamberg could play in the EuroLeague. This is a very important European basketball competition. In the next season (2005–06), the team reached the EuroLeague Top 16. They also played in the German Cup Final and the BBL playoffs semi-finals.

Becoming Brose Baskets (2006–2009)

In the 2006–07 season, the club changed its name to Brose Baskets. This was because Brose Fahrzeugteile became their new main sponsor. In this season, the team won its second German Championship.

The 2007–08 season was not as successful. The team was knocked out early from the EuroLeague. In May 2008, Brose Baskets lost in the quarter-finals. They could not win the Championship again. Their coach, Dirk Bauermann, then left the team.

On June 2, 2008, Chris Fleming became the new head coach. He was 38 years old and from America. His assistant coach, Arne Woltmann, also joined him.

The first year with the new coach was tough. The team just barely made it into the playoffs. But they surprised everyone by beating the second-place team. However, they lost to the team that eventually won the Championship.

First "Double" Win (2009–2010)

The next year, the team did not do great in the regular season. But they still made it to the playoffs in fifth place. In the German Cup, they reached the final in Frankfurt. They beat the home team, Skyliners, by just one point. This brought the Cup back to Bamberg after 18 years.

In the Championship playoffs, Bamberg easily beat their opponents. They reached the finals again to play Skyliners Frankfurt. Brose Baskets lost the first home game. But they fought back to lead 2-1. Frankfurt won the fourth game, making it very close. In the end, Brose Baskets won the Championship 72-70 at home. This was their first time winning both the Cup and the Championship in the same year.

Achieving the "Treble" (2010–2011)

For the 2010–11 season, Brose Baskets kept most of their players. They also added some strong new ones. The team was very good and lost only two out of 34 games. They also won the German Cup again. They beat Braunschweig 69-66 in the final in Bamberg.

In the Championship playoffs, Brose Baskets easily won their quarter-final. In the semi-final, they had two surprising losses. But they won the fifth and deciding game. In the final against Alba Berlin, Brose Baskets struggled away from home. Berlin led for most of the final game. But Brose Baskets turned it around in the last part of the game. They won 72-65. This was their fourth German Championship title. They had now won the "double" (Cup and Championship) two years in a row. They also won all their home Cup and Championship games that season.

Second "Treble" (2011–2012)

The Brose Baskets team stayed mostly the same for the 2011–12 season. New players made the team even stronger. They finished first in the league with 30 wins and only four losses. The team won the German Cup again this season.

In the Championship playoffs, Brose Baskets beat Telekom Baskets Bonn 3-1. They had a surprising loss in their first home game. This was their first home loss in 49 games! In the semi-final, they beat Artland Dragons. They also won the final against ratiopharm Ulm 3-0. This was Brose Baskets’ third "double" win in a row.

After this success, many players signed contracts with other teams. This meant the team changed a lot for the next season.

Sixth German Championship (2012–2013)

In the 2012–13 season, the main group of players stayed together. But injuries during the season made the team weaker. Still, Brose Baskets finished first in the Beko BBL league with 26 wins.

Unlike previous years, the team did not do well in the German Cup. They lost at home to FC Bayern München. In the Championship playoffs, Brose Baskets beat Phoenix Hagen 3-1. They then faced FC Bayern München in the semi-final. They won 3-2 after five games. This meant they were in the final for the fourth time in a row. Brose Baskets won the final against EWE Baskets Oldenburg 3-0. This secured their fourth German Championship title in a row.

A Tough Season (2013–2014)

In the 2013–14 season, Brose Baskets could not finish first in the regular season. They finished second behind Bayern Munich. They then lost to Artland Dragons 3-1 in the playoff quarter-finals. The team also did not reach the German Cup Final. They did not do well in European games either.

After this season, head coach Chris Fleming left the club. Two great players, John Goldsberry and Casey Jacobsen, stopped playing. Their jersey numbers were retired by the club to honor them.

Back on Top (2014–2015)

In the 2014–15 season, Brose Baskets became Germany's top basketball team again. They beat the defending champions, Bayern Munich, 3-2 in the Finals. Bamberg also finished first in the regular season. Bamberg's player Bradley Wanamaker was named the best player of the Finals.

Eighth German Championship (2015–2016)

In the 2015–16 season, Brose Baskets did very well in the EuroLeague. They made it to the Top 16 stage. In the German league, Brose had an even better season. They finished first in the regular season by a large amount. They then won the championship by beating all their opponents in the playoffs.

In August 2016, the Brose Baskets changed their name to Brose Bamberg.

EuroLeague and More German Wins (2016–2017)

By winning the championship in 2015–16, Bamberg qualified for the 2016–17 EuroLeague. This was a very important European basketball league. Bamberg finished in 10th place. Nicolò Melli was a key player for the team.

In Germany, the team was very strong again. They won the German Cup by beating Bayern Munich in the Final. They won their ninth German Championship title. They beat EWE Baskets Oldenburg 3-0 in the BBL Finals.

Last EuroLeague Season (2017–2018)

In the 2017–2018 season, Brose finished 12th in the EuroLeague. In the German league, Bayern Munich ended Brose's winning streak. Bayern beat Brose 3-1 in the semi-finals. Brose also lost to Bayern in the German Cup quarter-finals. Finishing 4th in the league was their lowest in many years.

Playing in FIBA Tournaments (2018-Present)

Daniel Hackett playing for Bamberg in 2018.

On February 17, 2019, Bamberg won its fifth German Cup. They beat Alba Berlin 83-82 in the final. In the 2018–19 season, Bamberg also played in the Basketball Champions League for the first time. Before this, they had only played in EuroLeague competitions since 2004. This was their first time in a competition organized by FIBA. In the quarter-finals, Bamberg just barely beat the champions, AEK Athens. This qualified them for the 2019 Final Four.

On July 1, 2020, Johan Roijakkers became Bamberg's new head coach. With him as coach, Brose Bamberg did not lose a single home game in the 2020–2021 Basketball Champions League season. Brose Bamberg also set a record for most three-pointers made in one game (21 three-pointers).

In November 2021, Oren Amiel became the new head coach. Under him, the team did not qualify for the Basketball Champions League in the 2022–2023 season. They continued their European season in the FIBA Europe Cup.

In June 2023, the club announced that Brose was selling its part of the company. They also gave up their naming rights. So, the club's name changed to Bamberg Baskets on July 1, 2023.

Club Logos

• 

  GHP Bamberg logo, used from 2003 to 2006.

• 

  Brose Baskets logo, used from 2006 to 2016.

Team Achievements

German Competitions

• German League Championship
  • Winners: 9 times (2004–05, 2006–07, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17)
  • Runners-up: 3 times (1992–93, 2002–03, 2003–04)
• German Cup
  • Winners: 6 times (1992, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2017, 2019)
  • Runners-up: 3 times (1990, 2006, 2015)
• German Super Cup:
  • Winners: 5 times (2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015)
  • Runners-up: 1 time (2013)
• 2. Basketball Bundesliga
  • Champions: 1 time (1983-84)

European Competitions

• Basketball Champions League
  • Fourth place: 1 time (2018–19)

Other Competitions

• Zwolle, Netherlands Invitational Game
  • Winners: 2015
• Bamberg, Germany Invitational Game
  • Winners: 2016, 2017
• Bayreuth Tournament
  • Winners: 2016
• Gmunden, Austria Invitational Game
  • Winners: 2016

Team Arenas

Nuremberg Arena, sometimes used as the club's home arena.

Brose Arena, the regular home arena of the club since 2001.

Since 2001, Brose Bamberg has played its home games at Brose Arena. This arena has had a few different names over the years.

After changes in 2006, the arena could hold up to 6,820 people. It originally held 4,750 fans for basketball games. The 2006 changes also added special areas for companies. This expansion made the arena big enough for EuroLeague games. EuroLeague rules say arenas must have at least 5,000 seats.

In 2016, the arena removed standing room areas for fans. This was to meet new EuroLeague rules. This change reduced the arena's seating to 6,150. Before Brose Arena met EuroLeague rules, European home games were played at the Arena Nürnberger Versicherung. This arena is in Nuremberg, about 63 km (39 miles) from Bamberg.

Before Brose Arena was built, the team played at the John F. Kennedy Hall. This was on a U.S. military base in Bamberg. Later, they played at the Graf Stauffenberg Hall.

Bamberg fans are known for being very loyal and supportive. The town is even called "Freak City" by basketball fans. This is because Bamberg is a small town (about 76,000 people) but has huge fan support. Fans make a lot of noise with drums, chants, and a brass band. This creates a great atmosphere at the arena, which they lovingly call "Frankenhölle".

Players

Retired Numbers

Some players have been so important that their jersey numbers are "retired." This means no other player on the team will ever wear that number again.

Brose Bamberg Retired Numbers
No	Nat.	Player	Position	Years Played	Date Retired	Ref
5		John Goldsberry	PG	2008–2014	21 May 2014
6		Nikos Zisis	PG	2015–2019	7 September 2019
23		Casey Jacobsen	SF	2006–2007, 2009–2014	21 May 2014

Current Team Roster

Brose Bamberg roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Wt. Age SG 9 Tadda, Karsten 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) 93 kg (205 lb) 36 – (1988-11-02)2 November 1988 SF 11 Wohlrath, Kevin 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) 87 kg (192 lb) 30 – (1995-02-15)15 February 1995 C 65 Stanić, Filip 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) 118 kg (260 lb) 27 – (1998-01-14)14 January 1998 F Krimmer, Moritz 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) 101 kg (223 lb) 24 – (2000-08-27)27 August 2000 G Watson-Boye, Ibrahim 1.97 m (6 ft 6 in) 91 kg (201 lb) 27 – (1998-01-06)6 January 1998 PG Segu, Ronaldo 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) 73 kg (161 lb) 25 – (1999-09-16)16 September 1999 C Feazell, KeyShawn 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) 108 kg (238 lb) 26 – (1998-10-23)23 October 1998 PF Horvath, Brandon 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) 100 kg (220 lb) 27 – (1998-04-03)3 April 1998	Head coach Anton Gavel Assistant coach(es) Arne Woltmann Legend (C) Team captain Injured Roster Updated: July 10, 2024

Head Coaches

1988–1994	Terence Schofield
1994–1999	Ken Scalabroni
1999–2001	Armin Andres
2001	Zoran Slavnić
2001–2008	Dirk Bauermann
2008–2014	Chris Fleming
2014–2018	Andrea Trinchieri
2018	Ilias Kantzouris (temporary coach)
2018	Luca Banchi
2018–2019	Ainars Bagatskis
2019	Federico Perego
2019–2020	Roel Moors
2020–2021	Johan Roijakkers
2021–2024	Oren Amiel
2024–present	Anton Gavel

Youth Development and Community Work

Brose Baskets and their partner clubs help young players get better at basketball. Their goal is to offer exciting, high-level basketball for fans. They also want to help more kids play the sport.

The club has junior teams for different age groups: Under-9, Under-10, Under-12, Under-14, Under-16, and Under-19. They also work with Baunach, a team in Germany's third-tier league. Since 2009–10, there has been a women's Under-17 team. Another women's team, DJK Brose Bamberg, has played in Germany's top women's league since 2012.

Partner Teams:

• Bike-Cafe Messingschlager Baunach (ProB)
• TSV Tröster Breitengüßbach (South-East Regional League, NBBL, JBBL)
• Brose Baskets e. V. (WNBL)
• Regnitztal Baskets (2nd Regional League)
• TTL Bamberg (2nd Regional League, Under-14 professional team)
• DJK Don Bosco Bamberg (Under-13 professional team)
• BG Litzendorf
• SpVgg Roth
• SG Köln99ers e.V.
• Paderborn Baskets

Brose Baskets also works with many other clubs. This is part of their "Junior Franken" project for players aged 12 to 19.

Many players from Bamberg's youth program have played for Germany's national basketball teams. This includes the senior men's team and junior national teams. Players like Karsten Tadda and Maik Zirbes from Brose have played for the senior German national team. Many young players from Bamberg have also been on the German Under-20, Under-18, and Under-16 teams.

Besides professional sports, Brose Baskets and their partner clubs help about 12,000 children and young people each year. They do this through fun sports projects. These include a primary school program, basketball promotion days, a school league, basketball camps, and the Kinder+Sport Basketball Academy.

In 2013, a support group for basketball in Bamberg changed its name to Brose Baskets e.V. This group helps fund youth basketball development. By February 2014, it had about 300 members.

Supporters

The club has a very large fan base in Bamberg. This is special because Bamberg is a relatively small town. Because of this, the town is sometimes called "Freak City" in basketball circles. The team's main fan club, Faszination Basketball Bamberg, has almost 1,000 members. This makes it the biggest basketball fan club in Germany's top league. Other fan clubs, like Freak City Frankenpower and Sektion Südblock, also support Brose Baskets.

Images for kids

• 

  The GHP Bamberg era logo of the club, 2003–2006.