Science City Jena Explained

Science City Jena
Leagues:ProA
History:TuS Jena
1994–2002
Baskets Jena
2002–2007
Science City Jena
2007–2021
Medipolis SC Jena
2021-2024
Science City Jena
2024-present
Arena:Sparkassen Arena
Capacity:3,000
Location:Jena, Germany
President:Dietmar Bendix
Coach:Björn Harmsen
Championships:1 ProA
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Science City Jena[1] is a basketball club based in Jena, Germany that plays in the ProA. Their home court is the Sparkassen Arena, which seats 3,000. Their current head coach is Björn Harmsen.

The team was known as Erdgas Baskets Jena through the 2006 season, then as POM Baskets Jena, then Science City Jena in 2007.[2] After being renamed to Medipolis SC Jena in 2021[3] due to sponsoring reasons, the name Science City Jena was again used from the 2024/25 season on.[4] In the 2015–16 season, they won their first ProA title and promoted to the Bundesliga.

History

Although never a big sport in the former East Germany, basketball was played in Jena since the 1960s. In 1994, a new basketball program was found in the "Turn- und Sportverein (TuS) Jena". Starting in the lower divisions the club gained promotion to the second division (2. Liga Süd) in 2001. Once established in professional sports the club started to become a basketball only organization with the founding of the Baskets Jena GmbH which now holds the license.

The biggest success so far has been the promotion to the 1st division (BBL) in 2007. The stay in the top league lasted only one year with the club finishing last after an eventful year. With the promotion, the team switched to the bigger "JenArena" which allowed attendances up to 3.000 in a temporary construction. Financial difficulties in maintaining the "JenArena" led to a return to the gym "Werner-Seelenbinder-Halle".

In the 2015–16 season, Jena won the ProA championship by beating SC Rasta Vechta in the Finals and was promoted back to the Bundesliga.[5]

In 2021, the team changed its name from Science City Jena to Medipolis SC Jena.[6]

For the 2024/25, the team changed its name back to Science City Jena.[7]

Honours

Champions: 2015–16

Season by season

SeasonTierLeagueCupEuropean competitions
2013–142ProA5th
2014–152ProA5th
2015–162ProA1st
2016–171Bundesliga13th
2017–181Bundesliga13th
2018–191Bundesliga18thQuarterfinals
2019–202ProA4th
2020-212ProA4th
2021–222ProA3rd
2022–232ProA15th
2023–242ProA5th
2024–252ProA5thFirst round

Players

Notable players

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Home: baskets-jena.de. 2022-02-09. baskets-jena.de.
  2. http://www.eurobasket.com/team.asp?Cntry=ger&Team=1776 SCIENCE CITY JENA (GER-1.BUNDESLIGA) MEN
  3. Web site: Neuer Name: Aus Science City Jena wird Medipolis SC Jena. 2024-09-17. baskets-jena.de.
  4. Web site: Back to the Roots – Science City Jena ist zurück. 2024-09-17. baskets-jena.de.
  5. News: ProA Meister 2015/16: Science City Jena . Schoenen-dunk.de . 8 May 2016 .
  6. News: https://baskets-jena.de/newsarchiv/tickets/tx_news/neuer-name-neues-logo-aus-science-city-jena-wird-medipolis-sc-jena/?tx_news_pi1[controller=News&tx_news_pi1[action]=detail&cHash=61dce56bdaf7b9bc0c89b08e4f0c17b8 Neuer Name, neues Logo: Aus Science City Jena wird Medipolis SC Jena ]. de . Medipolis SC Jena . 27 July 2021 . 18 February 2022 .
  7. News: Back to the Roots – Science City Jena ist zurück . de . Medipolis SC Jena . 30 Jun 2024 . 17 September 2024 .