The year 2020 comes to an end. It is time to look back at the main news and events of the year 2020 of basketball in Luxembourg.
January 2020
1. FLBB’s new online presence
The basketball federation announces its new online presence with a new website and a new app.
Link –> FLBB’s new online presence!
2. Kobe Bryant dies in helicopter crash
Basketball superstar Kobe Bryant, who is also an idol for many Luxembourgish basketball players, died in a crash with his private helicopter in Los Angeles.
Link –> Reaktiouen op den Doud vum Kobe Bryant zu Lëtzebuerg
3. Manuel Fonseca’s fight against a difficult disease
Manuel Fonseca has spent a long time in hospital after a very difficult disease (Guillain barre syndrom). In this article, he talked about his difficulties to overcome the disease and his strong will to recover.
–> Manuel Fonseca: „Ech muss eng staark Moral hunn, fir erëm gesond ze ginn.“
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February 2020
4. Cup FLBB finals
Heffingen (women) and the East Side Pirates (men, picture) win the Cup FLBB. At this point, nobody knew that the cup wins by both teams would be the only titles of the season where there were actually teams competing on the floor against each other in a final.
5. Four teams qualify for the cup finals
Etzella and the Musel Pikes (men) and Gréngewald – Esch (women) qualify for the cup final after the semi-finals were played in a crowded Coque. However, the finals could not be played due to the Covid-19-virus.
6. National team starts pre-qualification
Luxembourg’s national team loses both games to start the pre-qualification tournament. Against Slovakia (65:73) and at home against Kosovo (84:80), Luxembourg showed 2 good performances but was not able to come up with a victory. This would change in November … 🙂
7. Cathy Schmit honored
During the men’s national team home game against Kosovo, Cathy Schmit was honored for 10 years in the national team.
Link -> Interview mam Cathy Schmit: „Simon an Mreches kennen meng Roll an Zukunft iwwerhuelen“
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March 2020
8. The decisive game nobody knew about …
Even though it was a normal regular season game, the game between the Musel Pikes and Basket Esch came down to the final possessions. Nobody could knew it at this point but this game was the decision in the men’s title race. Basket Esch was later crowned champion of the season.
Link –> Video: Decisive moments between the Musel Pikes and Basket Esch
9. Mamer promotes
Mamer promotes to the Nationale 2 after dominating the competition in the Nationale 3. This was the only decision that was decided before the season was cancelled days later.
10. Season 2019/20 is over!
On March 15, the basketball federation took the decision to end the season because of the Covid-19-situation.
11. Scoring champs over the past decade
Over the years 2010-2020, Tom Schumacher won the scoring title in the national championship 9 times, while Cathy Schmit was able to lead the women league in scoring 6 times.
Link –> Cathy Schmit 6 mol beschte Lëtzebuerger Scorerin an de leschten 10 Joer
Link –> Schumacher vun 2010-2020 9 Mol beschte Lëtzebuerger Scorer
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April 2020
12. “Wat mécht eigentlech … ?“
A new rubric was created on luxembourg.basketball where former players talked about their connection to the sport of basketball years after finishing their career.
You can read all interviews here –> Wat mécht eigentlech de Jeff Bevilacqua?
Players that participated: Alex Kugener, Rachel Wagener, Carine Cirgrang, Christine Fisher, Frank Mangen, Peter Rajniak, Manou Scholtus, Luc Loesch, Bob Adam, Christophe Baustert, Mike Feyder, Sohrab Ziai, Nelson Delgado, Tim Giver, Gilles Becker
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May 2020
13. Professional players
Racing announces the decision to play with one professional player in the upcoming 2020/21 season. While a lot of people and clubs applauded them for this ambitious decision, no other team from the Total League went into the same direction. Only N2-team Black Star Mersch played with 1 professional player as well.
The discussions about the number of professional players on the court was a main subject again this season, especially after Amicale Steinsel played with 3 professional players in one game.
14. No decision!
At a general assembly, no agreement was found for a new championship modus! While there were 3 possible scenarios (10, 14 or 20 teams in the first men’s league), no modus received more than 50% so that the decision how to continue in the 2019/20 season was postponed.
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June 2020
15. A-license coaching course in Luxembourg
16 coaches took part in the courses to make the A-License coaching certificate in Luxembourg.
–> 16 Coache maache grad d’A-Lizenz am Basket
16. Lisa Jablonowski starts professional career
After spending year in the United States to study and play basketball, Lisa Jablonowski announced the start of her professional career. She joined Basket Costa in the Italian first league, a very high level.
–> Lisa Jablonowski am Video-Interview virum Start vun der Profikarriär
17. New championship modus voted!
The clubs voted for a new modus with 12 teams in the men’s Total League. The championship titles were given to Etzella (women) and Basket Esch (men) because they were leading the standings at the end of the season.
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July 2020
18. Nadia Mossong ends her professional basketball career
Nadia Mossong ends her professional career after playing in a number of countries, lastly in Italy. She would later join T71 to continue her career in Luxembourg.
–> Interview mam Nadia Mossong iwwer d’Karriär: „Profigeschäft ass net fir jiddereen”
19. Dziurdzia stays 3 more years
Mariusz Dziurdzia stays coach at the FLBB for 3 more years, his contract with the basketball federation got extended.
–> Mariusz Dziurdzia: „Nur wer alles gibt, kann mit sich zufrieden sein”
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August 2020
20. Ben Kovac announces start of professional career
Ben Kovac starts his professional career in the Netherlands, he published the news in a video-interview on our website.
–> De Ben Kovac start seng Profi-Karriär (Video-Interview)
21. Laurent Schwartz ends his basketball career
Laurent Schwartz, who played for the Musel Pikes his entire career, ended his career.
–> Interview mam Laurent Schwartz: „De Guy Schmit war schon ëmmer en Virbild vun mir”
22. Alex Laurent changes team
Alex Laurent joins Klosterneuburg in the first Austrian league as a professional player.
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September 2020
23. Lena Hetto and Chris Dentzer join the FLBB
On September 1st, Lena Hetto and Chris Dentzer started their new job at the basketball federation.
24. Samy Picard new president of the FLBB
Samy Picard takes over the role of FLBB’s president from Heng Pleimling. Pleimling was the president from 2012 until 2020 and did not run for the position again. Together with president Picard, 5 new members joined the committee of the federation: Cathy Donckel, Iris Hoffelt, Nicolas Hentgen, Pit Rodenbourg and Kim Thesen.
25. New basketball club founded in Echternach
Ildiko Vass has founded a new basketball club in Echternach. The former professional player and her crew focus mainly on kids practices at the moment.
26. The season 2020/21 starts!
After the 2019/20 season was cancelled early, everybody was happy to start a new basketball season at the end of September. However, the season would be paused only one month later.
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October 2020
27. Los Angels win « bubble » championship
Led by Lebron James and Anthony Davis, the Los Angeles Lakers have won the NBA championship 2020 after the league played the play-offs in a « bubble »-tournament in Orlando.
28. Season paused!
Due to the Covid-19-situation, the basketball season 2020/21 was paused! A total of 5 game-days were being played in the women’s and men’s Total League. Initially, the pause would be until January, but at the moment (end of December) it is still unsure when we can restart.
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November 2020
29. Luxembourg with a sensational win against Slovakia
Luxembourg’s men play 2 games in a bubble tournament in Slovakia. After losing to Iceland, they beat Slovakia and realize a sensation. It was clearly the highlight of the basketball year in Luxembourg!
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December 2020
30. Luxembourg represented in the Euro Cup
Georges Wolzfeld and Marc Mouton (referees) as well as commissioner Alain Steffes represented Luxembourg at a Euro Cup game in the women’s category.
31. Gréngewald’s women compete in the Euro Cup
While basketball in Luxembourg was not possible in December, the women from Gréngewald travelled to Namur to participate in the Euro Cup. Against a strong opponent, the « greens » showed a great performance and lost by only 20 points. After years of absence, the participation of a luxembourgish club in a European competition has clearly been a positive sign.
The basketball federation wishes you all the best for the new year 2021, stay healthy!
