The Syntainics MBC from Weißenfels experiences a weekend like in a fairy tale and crowns itself in the home town hall to the BBL Cup winner. The protagonists are overwhelmed. For Martin Geissler and Co., it is the highlight of a construction work for over two decades.
At the moment of the almost incredible triumph, Akeem Vargas remembered a conversation that he led to club shareholder Christian Zeidler in the Weißenfels town hall some time ago. “Do you really think it happens?” Zeidler have it since Last summer in MBC services active ex-international Asked, whereupon Vargas replied full of conviction: “Yes, I think this year is the year.”
Michael Devoe (left) scored a total of 49 points in the two co-duels of the “Top Four” and was named the most valuable player in the weekend.
“Even bigger than that European Cup victory “
Early Sunday evening of February 16, 2025 after the final siren 97: 87 final victory over the Bamberg Baskets had sealed, Vargas’ daring prophecy was actually true after a memorable “Top Four” weekend: the Syntainics MBC from the Weißenfels, which counts 39,000 inhabitants, with one of the smallest budgets of all BBL clubs is German basketball cup winner.
“It is incredible that we are the first East German team with a national title. I did not think it was possible that we can do something. The whole basketball region in the new federal states can be proud of it. This is a sign of the development of the Last years. The club and its supporters took 250,000 euros in hand to take the historical chance and of course to carry out the final tournament in the home town hall on both days. The risk turned out to be a gold.
The crowning glory: MBC managing director Martin Geissler with the BBL Cup and a well-deserved winning glass.
The crowning glory of Geissler’s work
The still 41-year-old Geissler has shaped the MBC in the past more than two decades like no other and is the face of the organization. The Weißenfelser native came to the wolves at the beginning of the 2000s, was the press spokesman when the club employed a star ensemble around the German international Stephen Arigbabu, Misan Nikagbatse and Marius Petravicius, Sebastian Machowski or Wendell Alexis. In 2004, the team around the previous DBB national coach Henrik Dettmann also achieved the sensational victory in the Fiba Europe Cup-but the club had long since lifted up, was in the bankruptcy proceedings and lost the Bundesliga license.
Only the following cooperation with the SV Halle saved the MBC the sporting existence and the chance of the new beginning in the regional league. Martin Geissler’s promotion also started – first as a team manager, since 2008 as managing director and from 2016 as managing partner of the revived club. In 2009 Weißenfels returned to the Bundesliga for the first time. After two drop -offs, the wolves have been playing consistently in the BBL since 2017.
Spring 2004: The then barely 20-year-old press spokesman Martin Geissler alongside MBC coach Henrik Dettmann (right) and Alba coach Emir Mutapcic (left).
“We’ve been dead”
“It starts in 2004 where we were already dead. And then we rebuilt the MBC together. We always fought to stay in the league. If you have followed the past decades – it wasn’t always nice, it was not always nice, There were also one or two games that did not go out that we had to go down for a year, “said Geissler and underlined:” It means that this hard work in recent years has paid off. We in the end to win a title.
The heroes of the present were also aware of this: “I still can’t believe it. We couldn’t have dreamed that. It was an incredible feeling to get into this final Four and now win the thing, I can just Do not describe in words, “said the visibly agitated Martin Breunig. The center, under contract in Weißenfels for the third year, had still at the last Tuesday Liga victory against Vechta The finger had been fled, became fit in time and already blossomed at the Dramatic 95: 93 half-final coup against the reigning Doublegewinner Bayern Munich To the game -decisive man. In the very last second, he achieved the ultra -worthy, victory.
MBC trainer Janis Gailitis is given his personal cup medal.
Gailitis team: outstanding offensive and team basketball
In the final, the Breunig, which was shortly before his 33rd birthday, then confirmed his own fabulous performance of the previous day (13 points, nine rebounds, three assists, 100 percent hit rate) and this time put on 16 points, three rebounds, four assists and two steals: ” It was very difficult for me to stay on the floor emotionally and today with the right energy, with the right focus and the concentration. spend, “said Breunig.
In addition to Breunig, Finals-MVP Michael Devoe, who scored a total of 49 points and ten assists in the two KO games, as well as sniper Spencer Reaves and Captain Charles Callison triumphed in addition to Breunig. But the actual key to the highlight was the aggressive, sacrificing, unselfish team basketball with an outstanding offensive performance with which the team of Latvian success coach Janis Gailitis brought the competition to despair. Already in the semifinals the Weißenfelser rained 95 points, two more in the final-and that with outstanding hit rates of almost 65 percent in two-point attempts and over 43 percent of the triple line. The MBC professionals also distributed 47 assists together.
The foundation stone of the fairy tale: Martin Breunig (mi
“The players can let themselves go”
Accordingly, Martin Breunig’s conclusion was representative of each of his colleagues: “Man, that was really a tough way, especially this weekend. Munich, now also Bamberg, we somehow still gathered our strength so that we are one of the oldest teams. Even if it looked easy, it was not at all.
Akeem Vargas summed it up: “We have a very horny team chemistry, a very high level of offensive and are therefore cup winners.” Said it – and said goodbye to a “wild night” for which the MBC had rented a Halle club. “The players can let themselves go a bit,” Martin Geissler then distributed the license to the party in view of the upcoming three -week international break before the BBL continues from March 9th. There the new cup winner has the best chance of moving into the playoffs.
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