The Heroes basketball players have become champions of the Netherlands. The team from Den Bosch won the deciding game in Leiden. It was 74-81. Den Bosch was last champion in 2015. This is the seventeenth championship in the club’s history.
After the last league title, in 2015, Heroes ran into financial problems. It was close to the end of the famous Bossche basketball club.
In 2016, sports marketer Bob van Oosterhout from Gemert saved the club by buying it. This made him the only club owner in Dutch basketball. Under Van Oosterhout a lot changed in Den Bosch. A professionalization effort was mainly made.
Last (corona) season, Heroes, as the club from Den Bosch is called today, reached the final of the play-offs for the championship for the first time. He was then lost against the same Leiden.
A new coach was appointed for this season. Eric Braal started working after a one-year sabbatical. Before that, the coach had become champion three times with Donar from Groningen.
Led by Braal, Heroes was at the top of the competition for a long time. Until the team lost the cup final to Donar. Several defeats followed in the competition. On top of that was the injury of all-important player Mike Carlson, who saw his season come to an end six weeks ago. Then Morgan Stilma, Carlson’s direct replacement, broke a bone in his foot and he was no longer available.
In the won semifinal against Donar (3-0) Heroes gained a lot of confidence. The final series against Leiden went with ups and downs† For example, Den Bosch surprisingly won the first away game in Leiden last Saturday and then lost twice. Last Friday, Heroes forced a decision duel with an ultimate effort.
Waiting for privacy settings…