As Champions League winners, Telekom Baskets Bonn are allowed to play in the FIBA International Cup in Singapore, but none of the celebrated title winners are there anymore.
Successful coach Tuomas Iisalo? In Paris. Top star TJ shorts? In Paris. Tyson Ward? Also in Paris – just like Sebastian Herrera, Michael Kessens, Leon scratch and Collin Malcolm. A real mass exodus has hit Bonn with force; after the most successful season in the club’s history, the Telekom Baskets have not only lost their structure due to the major attack from France – everyone is gone. And so no one who had anything to do with the title is competing for the Champions League winner at the FIBA International Cup in Singapore.
It is not at all unusual for professionals to receive offers from abroad after a strong season in the Bundesliga. From clubs like Paris Basketball, for example, which can pay more. Surprise champions ratiopharm Ulm can also sing a song about it, with two pillars gone in finals MVP Yago dos Santos and Bruno Caboclo. The curse of success, the curse of good deeds.
Can’t prevent “sales”?
But the personnel exchange in Bonn, a forced restructuring so to speak, has a special dimension. Wolfgang Wiedlich was correspondingly unhappy about what happened in the summer. “It became clear early on that we would pay a price for winning the Champions League,” said the president, “in one word you can call this price ‘sell-out’.” Exit clauses are often the reason for departures, but without them some professionals simply cannot be hired.
Roel Moors has inherited the Finn Iisalo, who led Bonn to its first-ever title win and runner-up position. The Belgian came from league rivals BG Göttingen and is directing the involuntary restart. The first competitive games will be interesting, it’s a kind of World Cup and Bonn represents Europe.
The format of the FIBA International Cup has changed from time to time. Sometimes the winner from the premier class EuroLeague took part, sometimes not. Sometimes there was just a final, sometimes a tournament. This time there are six teams and the game will be played at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
Will Bonn still win the FIBA Europe Cup?
Bonn is entering new territory. In 2016, the Frankfurt Skyliners were the only German team to reach the final thanks to their triumph in the FIBA Europe Cup and lost at home to Guaros de Lara from Venezuela. By the way, Gordon Herbert, world champion coach of the German national team, was on the Hesse sidelines at the time.
The completely renewed Bonn team around European Championship bronze winner Christian Sengfelder starts on Thursday (9 a.m. CEST) against Al Manama/Bahrain, followed by the second group game against the Zhejiang Golden Bulls/China on Saturday (1 p.m.). In order to advance to the final (Sunday), first place is required.
The European team prevailed in five of the last six editions. For the Telekom Baskets, however, the title is not very important. In general, it’s about adjusting goals. “If everything has to be reorganized after a cloud nine season, realistic expectation management is required – from the club, fans, media,” Wiedlich told the Bonner General-Anzeiger.
“For me, the games are part of our preparation. But we still want to win,” said Moors about the Singapore adventure. Even if he knows full well about the danger of success.