Antwerp Giants
{{Short description|Belgian professional basketball club}}
{{Infobox Basketball club
| name = Windrose Giants Antwerp
| logo = Telenet Giants logo.png
| image_size = 170px
| leagues = BNXT League
| founded = {{Start date and age|1995}}
| history = Racing Antwerpen
1995–2006
Antwerp Giants
2006–present
| arena = Lotto Arena
| capacity = 5,500
| colors = Red, White, Black, Yellow
{{color box|#DC1A22}} {{color box|white}} {{color box|black}} {{Color box|#FFD801}}
| president = Björn Verhoeven
| coach = Roel Moors
| captain = Jean-Marc Mwema
| retired_numbers = 1 (4)
| championships =1 Belgian Championships
4 Belgian Cups
2 Belgian Supercups
| website =[http://www.antwerpgiants.be/ antwerpgiants.be]
| h_body=DC1A22 |h_pattern_b= _white_nzfc_shoulders |h_shorts=DC1A22 |h_pattern_s=
| 3_body=000000 |3_pattern_b= _white_nzfc_shoulders |3_shorts=000000|3_pattern_s=
| a_body=FFFFFF |a_pattern_b= _red_nzfc_shoulders |a_shorts= FFFFFF |a_pattern_s=
|gm=Eddy Faus}}
Antwerp Giants, named Windrose Giants Antwerp for sponsorship reasons, is a Belgian professional basketball club based in Antwerp. Their home arena is Lotto Arena. The club plays in the BNXT League, the highest tier of Belgian basketball.
The club was created from the merger of Sobabee and Racing Mechelen. Then named Racing Basket Antwerpen, it was renamed Antwerp Giants in 2005.
Antwerp has won the Belgian championship once, in 2000. The team has won five Belgian Cups and two Belgian Supercups.
History
In 1995, Sobabee from Antwerp and Racing Mechelen merged into Racing Basket Antwerpen. The club made its debut on the highest stage in Belgium in the 1998–99 season. Antwerp was one of the top 3 teams until 2001. In the 1999–2000 season the club won its first national championship as Telindus Antwerpen, by beating Oostende 3–1 in the Finals. The team had a setback after the championship year and ended in the 6th, 7th or 8th place for five seasons in a row. In 2007 the club won its third trophy, by winning the Belgian Basketball Cup for the second time.
The second team of the club plays in the Belgian Second Division, while the women's team participates in the regional competition.
The team holds the attendance record for a basketball game in Belgium, with 17,135 spectators, on 31 January 2015, during their game against Spirou Charleroi, in the Sportpaleis.{{cite web|url=http://www.fibaeurope.com/eurochallenge/coid_YomY0k6DJzMImqWpjVy,f2.articleMode_on.htmle |title=Roundup: Magical 'Night of the Giants' |access-date=February 3, 2015 }}{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} In June 2017, it was announced that Telenet would become the main sponsor of the team for three seasons.[http://www.gva.be/cnt/dmf20170606_02913659/telenet-komende-drie-jaar-hoofdsponsor-van-antwerp-giants Telenet komende drie jaar hoofdsponsor van Antwerp Giants] The signing of this sponsor, previously the main sponsor of Oostende, made the Giants one of the favorites in Belgian basketball.
In the 2018–19 season, Antwerp had its most successful season in club history. In Europe, it qualified for the Basketball Champions League (BCL) after advancing past three qualifying rounds. Antwerp was the surprise of the BCL season, as the team beat Murcia and Nizhny Novgorod in the round of 16 and quarterfinals. It qualified for the Final Four which was hosted in the city of Antwerp in the Sportpaleis. In the semi-finals, Antwerp lost to Iberostar Tenerife, and it won the third place game over Brose Bamberg.{{Cite web|url=http://www.championsleague.basketball/18-19/newsantwerp-use-home-support-to-stun-bamberg-for-third-place|title=Antwerp use home support to stun Bamberg for third place|date=5 May 2019|work=Basketball Champions League|access-date=25 December 2020}} Domestically, Antwerp won the Belgian Basketball Cup for the first time in 12 years.{{Cite web|url=https://sporza.be/nl/matches/basketbal/2020-03/antwerp-giants-charleroi-bekerfinale-basketbal-2020/|title=Antwerp Giants troeven Charleroi af in spannende bekerfinale|date=8 March 2020|language=nl|work=Sporza.be|access-date=25 December 2020}} In the PBL, Antwerp lost to Filou Oostende 1–3 in the finals.
Since the 2021–22 season, Antwerp plays in the BNXT League, in which the national leagues of Belgium and the Netherlands have been merged.{{cite web |title=Licenties BNXT League 2021-2022 toegekend |url=https://www.dutchbasketballleague.nl/nieuws/licenties-bnxt-league-2021-2022-toegekend/ |website=Basketball League |access-date=10 July 2021 |language=nl}}
On 12 March 2023, the Giants won their fifth Belgian Cup title after beating Oostende in the final.{{Cite web |date=2023-03-12 |title=Antwerp Giants kloppen favoriet Oostende in spannende bekerfinale |url=https://sporza.be/nl/matches/basketbal/2023-03/antwerp-giants-kloppen-favoriet-oostende-in-spannende-bekerfinale~1678088592789/ |access-date=2023-03-12 |website=sporza.be |language=nl}}
On 8 July, 2024 Antwerp got a new name sponsor. The company Windrose Technology, which is located in electronic trucks are the new name sponsor. The new team name is Windrose Giants Antwerp. {{Cite web |date=2024-07-08 |title=WINDROSE GIANTS ANTWERP! |url=https://antwerpgiants.be/windrose-giants-antwerp/ |access-date=2024-07-14 |website=antwerpgiants.be |language=nl}}
Trophies
=Domestic competitions=
:Champions (1): 1999–2000
:Winners (5): 1999–2000, 2006–07, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2022–23
:Winners (2): 2007, 2016
=European competitions=
- Basketball Champions League
- Third place (1): 2018–19
Names
Due to sponsorship reasons, the name of the club has frequently changed:
{{Columns-list|colwidth=22em|
- Racing Basket Antwerpen (1996–1999)
- Telindus Racing Antwerpen (1999–2004)
- Daewoo Racing Antwerpen (2005–2006)
- Sanex Antwerp Giants (2006–2008)
- Antwerp Diamond Giants (2008–2011)
- Port of Antwerp Giants (2011–2017)
- Telenet Giants Antwerp (2017–2024)
- Windrose Giants Antwerp (2024–present)
}}
Players
=Retired numbers=
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" | |||||
| colspan="6" style="background:#DC1A22; color:#fff;"| Antwerp Giants retired numbers | |||||
| style="background:white; color:#DC1A22;"| N°
! style="background:white; color:#DC1A22;"| {{Tooltip|Nat.|Nationality}} ! style="background:white; color:#DC1A22;"|Player ! style="background:white; color:#DC1A22;"|Position ! style="background:white; color:#DC1A22;"|Tenure ! style="background:white; color:#DC1A22;"| Retired | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | {{flagicon|BEL}} | Roel Moors | PG | 2000–2002, 2009–2015 | October 8, 2015{{Cite web |url=http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/zaal/basketbal/1.2463616 |title=Niemand zal ooit nog het nummer 4 dragen bij de Giants |access-date=2015-10-08 |archive-date=2015-10-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151010061303/http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/zaal/basketbal/1.2463616 |url-status=dead }} |
=Current roster=
{{Basketball roster nationality note}}
{{Basketball roster header
| team=Windrose Giants Antwerp
| wt=n}}
{{player3| pos = G | num = 0 | nat = USA | first = Symir | last = Torrence | m = 1.90 | year=2001 | month=06 | date=02}}
{{player3| pos = PG | num = 1 | nat = BEL | first = Feie | last = Tallir | m = 1.92 | year=2006 | month=01 | date=01}}
{{player3| pos = PF | num = 2 | nat = USA | first = Mike | last = Moore | m = 2.03 | year=1994 | month=05 | date=30 | dab=basketball}}
{{player3| pos = SF | num = 3 | nat = BEL | first = Letto | last = Van Drom | m = 2.02 | year=2006 | month=08 | date=17}}
{{player3| pos = PG | num = 6 | nat = USA | first = Michael | last = Flowers | m = 1.85 | year=1999 | month=01 | date=14 | dab=basketball}}
{{player3| pos = PF | num = 8 | nat = BEL | first = Maarten | last = Vandenbossche | m = 2.08 | year=2003 | month=04 | date=08}}
{{player3| pos = SF | num = 9 | nat = BEL | first = Elias | last = Lasisi | m = 1.92 | year=1992 | month=01 | date=09}}
{{player3| pos = SF | num = 10 | nat = BEL | first = Vince | last = Van Cleemput | m = 1.98 | year=2002 | month=01 | date=24}}
{{player3| pos = SG | num = 11 | nat = USA | first = Kyle | last = Foster | m = 1.97 | year=1998 | month=03 | date=11}}
{{player3| pos = PF | num = 13 | nat = BEL | first = Yoeri | last = Schoepen | m = 2.01 | year=1994 | month=03 | date=30}}
{{player3| pos = F | num = 16 | nat = USA | first = Clarence | last = Daniels | m = 1.98 | year=2000 | month=12 | date=06}}
{{player3| pos = PG | num = 21 | nat = SRB | first = Stefan | last = Pot | m = 1.96 | year=1994 | month=07 | date=15}}
{{player3| pos = C | num = 22 | nat = BEL | first = Arne | last = Schrevens | m = 2.11 | year=2002 | month=07 | date=08}}
{{player3| pos = C | num = 23 | nat = USA | first = Ja'Von | last = Franklin | m = 2.01 | year=1998 | month=10 | date=14}}
{{player3| pos = C | num = 24 | nat = BEL | first = Kevin | last = Tumba | m = 2.06 | year=1991 | month=02 | date=23 | nat2=COD}}
{{Basketball roster footer
| head_coach =
- {{player||BEL|Roel Moors}}
| asst_coach =
- {{player||BEL|Eddy Faus}}
| roster_url = https://antwerpgiants.be/team/telenet-giants-antwerp/
| accessdate = November 9, 2024
}}
Season by season
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:85%" |
| bgcolor=
!Season !Tier !League !{{Tooltip|Pos.|Position after playoffs}} !{{Tooltip|W–L|Wins–losses}} !{{Tooltip|BNXT|BNXT League}} !colspan=3 | European competitions |
| style="background:#efefef;"|2010–11
|style="text-align:center;"| 1 |style="text-align:center;"| 5th |style="text-align:center;"| 18–17 |style="text-align:center;" rowspan=12 | – | Semifinalist | 3 EuroChallenge |style="text-align:center;"| {{Tooltip|L16|Top 16}} |style="text-align:center;"| 4–1–3 |
| style="background:#efefef;"|2011–12
|style="text-align:center;"| 1 |style="text-align:center;"| 3rd |style="text-align:center;"| 23–11 |style="background:silver"|Runner-up | 3 EuroChallenge |style="text-align:center;"| {{Tooltip|T16|Top 16}} |style="text-align:center;"| 6–6 |
| style="background:#efefef;"|2012–13
|style="text-align:center;"| 1 |style="text-align:center;"| 5th |style="text-align:center;"| 17–13 | Last 16 | 3 EuroChallenge |style="text-align:center;"| {{Tooltip|RS|Regular season}} |style="text-align:center;"| 4–2 |
| style="background:#efefef;"|2013–14
|style="text-align:center;"| 1 |style="text-align:center;"| 4th |style="text-align:center;"| 21–21 | style="background:silver"|Runner-up | 3 EuroChallenge |style="text-align:center;"| {{Tooltip|T16|Top 16}} |style="text-align:center;"| 7–5 |
| style="background:#efefef;"|2014–15
|style="text-align:center;"| 1 |style="text-align:center;"| 6th |style="text-align:center;"| 16–17 | 3 EuroChallenge |style="text-align:center;"| {{Tooltip|T16|Top 16}} |style="text-align:center;"| 6–6 |
| style="background:#efefef;"|2015–16
| align="center"| 1 |style="text-align:center;"| 5th |style="text-align:center;"| 14–16 | style="background:silver"|Runner-up | 3 FIBA Europe Cup |style="text-align:center;"| {{Tooltip|QF|Quarterfinalist}} |style="text-align:center;"| 13–4 |
| style="background:#efefef;"|2016–17
|style="text-align:center;"| 1 |style="text-align:center;"| 3rd |style="text-align:center;"| 25–17 | 4 FIBA Europe Cup |style="text-align:center;"| {{Tooltip|R2|Second round}} |style="text-align:center;"| 8–4 |
| rowspan=2 style="background:#efefef;"|2017–18
| rowspan=2 style="text-align:center;"| 1 | rowspan=2| Division I | rowspan=2 style="background:silver; text-align:center;"| 2nd | rowspan=2 style="text-align:center;"| 31–12 | rowspan=2| Quarterfinalist | 3 Champions League |style="text-align:center;"| {{tooltip|QR3|Third qualification round}} |style="text-align:center;"| 5–1 |
| 4 FIBA Europe Cup
|style="text-align:center;"| {{Tooltip|RS|Regular season}} |style="text-align:center;"| 3–3 |
| style="background:#efefef;"|2018–19
|style="text-align:center;"| 1 |style="background:silver; text-align:center;"| 2nd |style="text-align:center;"|35–9 |style="background:gold;" | Champion | 3 Champions League |style="background:#cc9966; text-align:center;"|3rd |style="text-align:center;"| 15–9 |
| style="background:#efefef;"|2019–20
|style="text-align:center;"| 1 |style="text-align:center;"|3rd{{efn|The 2019–20 PBL season was cancelled early because of the COVID-19 pandemic.}} |style="text-align:center;"|11–6 |style="background:gold;" | Champion | 3 Champions League |style="text-align:center;"| RS |style="text-align:center;"| 4–10 |
| style="background:#efefef;"|2020–21
|style="text-align:center;"| 1 |style="text-align:center;"|3rd |style="text-align:center;"|20–11 | 2 EuroCup |style="text-align:center;"| RS |style="text-align:center;"| 1–9 |
| style="background:#efefef;"|2021–22
|style="text-align:center;"| 1 | BNXT |style="text-align:center;"|4th |style="text-align:center;"|17–11 |style="text-align:center;"|6th |Semifinalist | 4 FIBA Europe Cup |style="text-align:center;"| {{tooltip|R2|Second round}} |style="text-align:center;"| 5–7 |
| style="background:#efefef;"|2022–23
|style="text-align:center;"| 1 | BNXT |style="background:silver; text-align:center;"| 2nd |style="text-align:center;"|22–6 |style="text-align:center;"|5th |style="background:gold;" | Champion | 4 FIBA Europe Cup |style="text-align:center;"| {{Tooltip|RS|Regular season}} |style="text-align:center;"| 3–5 |
| style="background:#efefef;"|2023–24
|style="text-align:center;"| 1 | BNXT |style="background:silver; text-align:center;"| 2nd |style="text-align:center;"|22–8 |style="background:#c96; text-align:center;"| 3rd |Quarterfinalist |
| style="background:#efefef;"|2024–25
|style="text-align:center;"| 1 | BNXT |style="text-align:center;"|6th |style="text-align:center;"|23–13 |style="text-align:center;"|6th |Semifinalist | 4 FIBA Europe Cup |style="text-align:center;"| {{Tooltip|RS|Regular season}} |style="text-align:center;"| 2–4 |
{{Notelist}}
Head coaches
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col" style="{{Basketball color cell|Antwerp Giants}}"|Name
! scope="col" style="{{Basketball color cell|Antwerp Giants}}"|{{Tooltip|Nat.|Nationality}} ! scope="col" style="{{Basketball color cell|Antwerp Giants}}"|Tenure |
|---|
| scope="row" | {{Sortname|Arik|Shivek}}
| {{flagicon|ISR}} | 2005–2007 |
| scope="row" | {{Sortname|Sven|van Camp}}
| {{flagicon|BEL}} | 2007–2008 |
| scope="row" | {{Sortname|Eddy|Casteels}}
| {{flagicon|BEL}} | 2008–2013 |
| scope="row" | {{Sortname|Paul|Vervaeck}}
| {{flagicon|BEL}} | 2013–2015 |
| scope="row" | {{Sortname|Roel|Moors}}
| {{flagicon|BEL}} | 2015–2019 |
| scope="row" | {{Sortname|Christophe|Beghin}}
| {{flagicon|BEL}} | 2019–2022 |
| scope="row" | {{Sortname|Luc|Smout}}
| {{flagicon|BEL}} | 2022 |
| scope="row" | {{Sortname|Ivica|Skelin}}
| {{flagicon|CRO}} | 2022–2024 |
| scope="row" | {{Sortname|Geert|Hammink}}
| {{flagicon|NED}} | 2024 |
| scope="row" | {{Sortname|Jill|Lorent}}
| {{flagicon|BEL}} | 2024–2025 |
| scope="row" | {{Sortname|Roel|Moors}}
| {{flagicon|BEL}} | 2025–present |
Notable former players
A list of former players of Antwerp Giants since 2000
{{refbegin|18em}}
- {{flagicon| USA}} {{flagicon
| SRB}} Kevin Punter (2017)
- {{flagicon|USA}} Jordan Callahan (2014)
- {{flagicon|BEL}} Maxime De Zeeuw (2012–14)
- {{flagicon|BEL}} Yannick Driesen (2012–14)
- {{flagicon|SRB}} Marko Špica (2013–14)
- {{flagicon|USA}} Frank Turner (2013–14)
- {{flagicon|USA}} Clayton Vette (2013–14)
- {{flagicon|USA}}{{flagicon|BEL}} Ralph Biggs (2010–13)
- {{flagicon|USA}} Jason Love (2012–13)
- {{flagicon|TUN}} Salah Mejri (2010–12)
- {{flagicon|USA}} Michael Roll (2010–12)
- {{flagicon|USA}} Julian Vaughn (2011–12)
- {{flagicon|BEL}} Christophe Beghin (2008–10)
- {{flagicon|USA}} Thomas Gardner (2009–10)
- {{flagicon|NLD}} Nick Oudendag (2007–09)
- {{flagicon|USA}} Brian Lynch (2008–09)
- {{flagicon|Montenegro}} Mladen Sekularac (2005–08)
- {{flagicon|USA}} Ryan Sears (2007–08)
- {{flagicon|USA}} Ian Hanavan (2007–08)
- {{flagicon|USA}} Ayinde Ubaka (2007–08)
- {{flagicon|USA}} Len Matela (2003–07)
- {{flagicon|ISR}} Gur Shelef (2005–07)
- {{flagicon|BEL}} Domien Loubry (2001–06)
- {{flagicon|BEL}} Sebastien Bellin (2003–06)
- {{flagicon|HUN}} Peter Lorant (2005–06)
- {{flagicon|BEL}} Ron Ellis (2004–05)
- {{flagicon|USA}}{{flagicon|ITA}} Shaun Stonerook (2000–01)
- {{flagicon|USA}} Otis Hill (2000–01)
- {{flagicon|USA}} Speedy Smith (2020)
- {{flagicon|SRB}} Milos Babic (2000–01)
- {{flagicon|BEL}} Andy Van Vliet (2014–15)
- {{flagicon|BEL}} Hans Vanwijn (2017–20)
- {{flagicon|BEL}} Jean-Marc Nwema (2009–16, 2021–24)
{{refend}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.antwerpgiants.be Antwerp Giants official Web site] {{in lang|nl}}
{{Antwerp Giants current roster}}
{{Ethias League}}
{{BNXT League}}
Category:Basketball teams established in 1995
Category:Basketball teams in Belgium