Almere Sailors

For the active amateur basketball club from Almere, see Almere Pioneers.
Almere Sailors
Almere Sailors logo
Founded16 July 2020; 3 years ago (2020-07-16)
Dissolved13 October 2021; 2 years ago (2021-10-13)
HistoryAlmere Sailors
2020–2021
ArenaTopsportcentrum Almere
Capacity3,000
LocationAlmere, Netherlands
Main sponsorFlevo Makelaars
PresidentRinus Balvert
Head coachGregory Tjin-A-Koeng
Websitealmeresailors.nl

Almere Sailors was a Dutch basketball club based in Almere. Established in 2020, the team played one season in the Dutch Basketball League (DBL), the highest level of basketball in the Netherlands. Home games are played in the Topsportcentrum Almere, which has a capacity of 3,000 people. A year later, the team left the league due to financial difficulties and filed for bankruptcy a few months later.[1]

History

The Topsportcentrum, home arena of the Sailors

In July 2020, the Almere Pioneers announced their plans to enter the Dutch Basketball League (DBL). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, entry requirements for the league were eased.[2] Since its disappearance in the 2006–07 season, Almere had not played at the highest level. To separate its activities from the amateur club Pioneers, a new organisation was established. On 3 August, the name Almere Sailors was announced for the professional team.[3] The name was chosen as the city of Almere was created after reclaiming land from the sea.

On 13 August, the Sailors announced Eric Kropf as their first head coach.[4] On 27 August, the DBL announced the Sailors obtained a license for the 2020–21 season.[5] On 16 September, the Sailors signed their first player in Papito Hersisia.[6] The Sailors played their first ever DBL game on 3 October, losing 124–64 to power house Donar.[7] The season was suspended and later resumed behind closed doors because of the ongoing pandemic. On 21 January 2021, the Sailors won their first ever DBL game against Apollo Amsterdam, 74–64 after overtime.[8] Kropf was fired on 10 March 2021, assistant Gregory Tjin-A-Koeng was promoted to interim head coach.[9]

In the 2021–22 season, the Sailors applied to play in the BNXT League, in which the national leagues of Belgium and the Netherlands have been merged.[10] Tjin-a-Koeng remained as head coach.[11] On 12 August 2021, the club however announced it decided not to join the new season due to the lack of necessary financial means.[12]

A few months later, on 13 October 2021,[13] the Almere Sailors organisation was declared bankrupt.[1]

Players

Last roster

The following was the Sailors roster that played in the 2020–21 Dutch Basketball League:

Almere Sailors roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Age
PG 4 Netherlands van de Weijenberg, Brian 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) 27 – (1996-12-24)24 December 1996
G 5 Netherlands Veltman, Dolf 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) 23 – (2000-12-12)12 December 2000
SG 6 United States Lombardi, Dante 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) 27 – (1996-02-27)27 February 1996
SG 7 Netherlands Richmond, Edwin 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) 27 – (1996-08-19)19 August 1996
G 8 Netherlands Osepa, Mike (C) 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) 32 – (1991-03-07)7 March 1991
F 9 Netherlands Kayhan, Job 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) 23 – (2000-12-23)23 December 2000
F 12 Netherlands Knepa, Marnexson 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 27 – (1996-03-19)19 March 1996
C 13 Netherlands Hersisia, Papito 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) 33 – (1990-10-12)12 October 1990
F 14 Netherlands Olijfveld, Livadjo 1.97 m (6 ft 6 in) 23 – (2000-02-28)28 February 2000
C 15 United States Joyce, Eamonn 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) 28 – (1995-05-17)17 May 1995
G 16 Netherlands Sage, Esebio 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) 27 – (1996-06-13)13 June 1996
F 18 Netherlands Pot, Ruben 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) 22 – (2001-09-06)6 September 2001
Head coach
  • Netherlands Gregory Tjin-A-Koeng
Assistant coach(es)
  • Netherlands Timothy Donk
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Injured Injured
Updated: 11 December 2020

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationality not displayed.

Top scorers by season

The following players were the leading scorers for the Sailors in each DBL season:[14]

Season Name PPG
2020–21 United States Dante Lombardi 16.2

Season by season

Season Tier League Regular season Playoffs NBB Cup Head coach
Finish Played Wins Losses Win%
Almere Sailors
2020–21 1 DBL 12th 21 3 18 0.143 DNQ First Round Eric Kropf
Gregory Tjin-A-Koeng

Sponsorship

Period Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor Ref.
2020– Erreà Flevo Makelaars

Head coaches

Name Nationality Tenure
Eric Kropf  Netherlands 13 August 2020 – 10 March 2021
Gregory Tjin-A-Koeng  Netherlands 10 March 2021 – 31 May 2021

References

  1. ^ a b "Basketbalclub Sailors failliet, doorstart onwaarschijnlijk". www.omroepflevoland.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  2. ^ "Almere Pioneers maakt kans op profbasketbal". Omroepflevoland.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 28 August 2020.
  3. ^ "Profbasketbalclub gaat Almere Sailors heten". Almeredezeweek.nl. 3 August 2020. Archived from the original on 9 December 2020. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
  4. ^ "Eric Kropf hoofdcoach Almere Sailors". Omroepflevoland.nl (in Dutch). 13 August 2020. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
  5. ^ "The Hague Royals en Almere Sailors gaan de DBL in" (in Dutch). Dutch Basketball League. 27 August 2020. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
  6. ^ "Almere Sailors verwelkomt Papito Hersisia" (in Dutch). Dutchbasketballleague.nl. 16 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  7. ^ "Almere Sailors dient bij debuut in eredivisie als kanonnenvoer voor basketballers Donar". Dagblad van het Noorden (in Dutch). 3 October 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  8. ^ "Eerste winst voor Sailors in de Dutch Basketball League". Omroep Flevoland (in Dutch). 21 January 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  9. ^ "Basketbalclub Almere Sailors ontslaat coach Eric Kropf".
  10. ^ "Licenties BNXT League 2021-2022 toegekend". Basketball League (in Dutch). Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  11. ^ "Almere Sailors verder met Tjin-a-Koeng". Basketball League (in Dutch). Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  12. ^ "Almere Sailors geeft licentie BNXT-league terug". Basketball League (in Dutch). Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  13. ^ "Faillissement Stichting Top Basketball Almere Sailors te Almere (F.16/21/233) - FaillissementsDossier.nl". www.faillissementsdossier.nl. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  14. ^ "Almere Sailors Stats - RealGM". basketball.realgm.com. Retrieved 10 June 2021.

External links