Ignjatovic remains until 2027 - Gießen relies on continuity in basketball!

Ignjatovic remains until 2027 - Gießen relies on continuity in basketball!

Branislav "Frenki" Ignjatovic has extended his contract as head coach of the Gießen 46ers until 2027. This news was announced during the club's New Year's reception on Wednesday evening in the Moto 69 restaurant at the Gießen train station. In his speech, Managing Director Guido Heerstraß announced that assistant coach Niko Stanic was also extended for the same contract period. Ignjatovic, who is 58 years old and Serbian origin, strives to promote the basketball Bundesliga (BBL).

The trainer who has been in office since 2022 led the Gießen 46ers to the playoffs in both years. In 2023, the team competed against Rasta Vechta in the semi -finals, the later promoted team. In the 2024 season, the team reached second place in the final table after the best second half of the modern club history, but had to surprisingly stroke the sails in the quarterfinals against the PS Karlsruhe Lions.

experience and identification

Ignjatovic looks back on a successful career. Before his commitment to the 46ers, he trained the MLP Academics Heidelberg, where he won the championship in Barmer 2nd Basketball Bundesliga and secured the promotion to the BBL. Sebastian Schmidt, Managing Director and Sports Director of the Gießen 46ers, emphasizes the need for a trainer who has a strong identification with the ProA and BBL. Ignjatovic fulfilled this criterion because he has lived in Hesse for over 30 years and feels a special commitment to the traditional club. His goal is to trace water to the highest league within two to three years.

In the first two years with the 46ers, Ignjatovic achieved remarkable results, despite challenges. A statistical highlight is that he has never achieved 25 wins in one season in his entire career, a goal that is within reach. However, the current season 2024/25 started sobering, with sleepless nights after the cup out against MBC and a defeat in Kirchheim. Despite these setbacks, Ignjatovic remains optimistic and believes in the development of his team, especially taking into account young German players such as Jonathan Maier and Luis Figge, who have not yet been able to exploit their full potential.

future prospects and fan binding

At the Gießen 46ers, Ignjatovic not only fights for sporting success, but also for the connection to the fan base. It emphasizes the importance of cohesion in difficult times and has an emotional connection to the loyal fans who have had a season ticket since 1968. He hopes for this support in the upcoming home game against Karlsruhe, where the team wants to compete with unconditional fight.

Ignjatovic also announced that he was open to discussions about a possible contract extension. He could even imagine retiring in Gießen, which underlines his deeply rooted connection to the region and the club. In view of the past successes, fan loyalty and experience, Ignjatovic will continue to be the key person for the Gießen 46ers.

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