Bamberg Baskets: Squad update

The excitement is mounting, the easy Credit Basketball Bundesliga is back! Bamberg Baskets kick off the new season on Sunday, September 22, at 3 p.m. in front of a home crowd against the Basketball Lions from Braunschweig. The 2024/25 season begins with numerous changes, including a new squad and coaching team.

You can find all the facts about the squad changes and new competition here!

Departures

Last season ended for the Bamberg Baskets with a disappointing record of 15 wins to 19 defeats. The dream of the playoffs and play-ins remained unfulfilled. Nine players from the past season have left the team: Malick Johnson, Justin Gray, Ej Onu, Lukas Herzog, Abi Kameric, Zack Copeland, Adrian Nelson and Trey Woodbury. In Patrick Heckmann, the cathedral city team is also losing its captain, who is leaving the Bamberg Baskets after six formative years. All of them were looking for a new sporting challenge.

Additions

The Bamberg Baskets announced the transfer of Anton Gavel back in March. The championship-winning coach from Ratiopharm Ulm is returning to his old club. He wore the Bamberg jersey between 2009 and 2014. Four-time German champion, three-time cup winner: these successes underpin his successful time as a player in the cathedral city. After spells at the Orange Academy and Ratiopharm Ulm, Bamberg is the German-Slovakian's third coaching stop.

The new coaching team is completed by Arne Woltmann (Assistant Coach), Stefan Weissenböck (Head of Player Development) and Marc Olmos (Athletics Coach).

The coach and club management started planning the squad at an early stage. Karsten Tadda, Kevin Wolfrath and Filip Stanic remained with the club beyond the summer. Seven new professional players - Noah Locke, Keyshawn Feazell, Ronaldo Segu, Ibrahim Watson-Boye, Moritz Krimmer, Brandon Horvath and Kyle Lofton - were signed. All of them already have international experience. The BBL squad is complemented by the two young talents Gabriel Kuku and Adrian Petkovic, who previously played for BBC Coburg. The club also responded to a lengthy injury to Brandon Horvath by signing the Slovenian Nik Dragan at short notice for six weeks with an option to extend until the end of the season.

New competition

Bamberg Baskets will take part in the European North Basketball League this season, which was founded in 2021. This league provides a platform for basketball teams from Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. In its fourth season, the ENBL comprises 18 teams, which are divided into two groups of nine. The four best teams in both groups qualify for the playoffs, which end with a final four. The match days take place during the week.