The Bayer Giants Leverkusen Basketball team is actually the hottest team in the German league. With the win yesterday night against Telekom Baskets Bonn, the former German Champion and Euroleague team reached the top of the standings.
After several seasons in the middle of the Bundesliga and even being faced to relegation partly, the 2007/2008 season is the most successful for years. The team is coached this year by Achim Kuczmann, an employee of the Bayer Giants organization for years has built a team that plays some of the most attractive basketball in the league and is extremely successful.
Now this week was however a very sad one for the fans and people that support the team. This Friday morning, the team asked for being transferred to Düsseldorf. It was known all around the German basketball scene, that their main Sponsor,the Bayer Chemicals company, will step back from basketball at the end of the season and concentrate on soccer. So, the team manager and former Bundesliga commissioner Otto Reintjes was trying to find new sponsors, but this was by far not as successful than the team on the court. And despite their winning streak, it seems that nobody wants to invest in the team.
As a result the organization will now move to Düsseldorf and start from zero next season. I don’t want to imagine the story that Leverkusen will go for it all and win the Championship and then disappear. That would be a sad story. At least, the fans don’t know actually what to think. Should I stay or should I go? And if this decision would not be enough, another case has been added to the complicated puzzle this Friday afternoon.
Homefan favorite and away fan most hated player Nate Fox got suspended for drug abuse. The inside fighter of the team has smoked some weed these days and in a doping test on the 2nd March, THC was found in his body. So for Fox, the season is over and as the transfer deadline is over, Leverkusen will have to finish the season with one player less.
Despite all these stories that turn around the team, Leverkusen showed a bright reaction last night and totally destroyed Bonn in their own Wihlhem Dopatka Halle. Even without Nate Fox. And also without any support of the local politicians and deciders. Good bye Leverkusen.
