Okapi Aalst

Okapi Aalst is a Belgian professional basketball club from Aalst, Belgium. The club competes in the top tier BNXT League and plays its home games in the Okapi Forum, which has a seating capacity of 2,800 people.

Okapi Aalst
Okapi Aalst logo
LeaguesBNXT League
Founded15 November 1949 (1949-11-15)
History
List
  • BBC Aalst
    1949–2002
    Okapi Aalstar
    2002–2020
    Okapi Aalst
    2020–present
ArenaOkapi Forum
Capacity2,800
LocationAalst, Belgium
Team colorsBlue, White,
   
CEOBart De Moor
PresidentKristof De Saedeleer
Head coachThomas Crab
Championships1 Belgian Cup
2 Belgian Supercups
Websiteokapiaalst.be

Okapi is a long-time participant of the Belgian first division, is the owner of one Belgian Cup and two Supercups. As well, Aalst was a regular participant in European competitions in the past.

In its history the team has included many quality players who would be named Belgian League MVP or have played for top Euroleague and NBA teams, such as Chris Copeland and Matt Lojeski.

History

Okapi was founded on 15 November 1949 by a group of friends in Aalst, almost all going to the school named Aalsterse Athenuem. Piet de Coninck van Noyen was one of the founders. In 1956, Odilon Ringoir became the first chairman of the club. In 1957, the municipality of Aalst allowed the team to play outside at the Hopmarkt and as a result more spectators watched the team's matches. In the winter months, the team played inside a shoe factory in Terjoden. In the 1958–59 season, Okapi promoted to the fourth national league. In 1969, the first foreign players where signed to keep up with opposing teams.[1]

In the 1969–70 season, Okapi won the national second division title in an impressive way by going unbeaten in all 44 games. In the 1970–71 season, the club made its maiden debut at the First National League. The team stayed there for five years until it was relegated again. The downfall lasted shortly as the team promoted back the next season. In the following seasons, Okapi enjoyed the first league in which local Derbys against Black Boys Aalst were played. In 1980, the team relegated once again.[1]

In the 2011–12 season, Aalstar won its first trophy ever with its Belgian Basketball Cup victory. Okapi defeated Antwerp Giants 96–89 after overtime.[2] By winning the Cup, Okapi qualified for the Belgian Supercup the next season, which it also won after defeating BC Oostende.[3] In 2013, Okapi won the Supercup for the second consecutive year by beating Oostende once again.[4]

In the 2013–14 season, Okapi reached the Finals of the Belgian League for the first time. In the Finals, the team was swept by Oostende, which went on to win its third straight title.

In June 2020, the team changed its name from Okapi Aalstar back to Okapi Aalst.[5] Since the 2021–22 season, Okapi plays in the BNXT League, in which the national leagues of Belgium and the Netherlands have been merged.[6]

Honours and titles

Belgian League:

Belgian Cup

  • Winners (1): 2011–12[2]
    • Runners-up (3): 1963–64, 1997–98, 2012–13

Belgian Supercup

  • Winners (2): 2012, 2013[4]

Belgian Second Division

  • Winners (3): 1969-70, 1974-75, 2005–06

Season by season
Season Tier League Pos. Belgian Cup European competitions Other competitions
2011–121BLB 5th Champion 3 EuroChallengeT16
2012–131BLB 4th Runner–up 3 EuroChallengeT16 SupercupC
2013–141BLB 2nd Semifinalist 3 EuroChallengeRS SupercupC
2014–151BLB 3rd Semifinalist 3 EuroChallengeT16
2015–161BLB 2nd Semifinalist
2016–171BLB 5th Semifinalist
2017–181BLB 4th Quarterfinalist
2018–191BLB 7th Quarterfinalist
2019–20[lower-alpha 1]1PBL 8th
2020–211PBL 7th Semifinalist
2021–221BNXT 13th –
2022–231BNXT 12th –
  1. The 2019–20 season was cancelled early due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Logos
  • The official Okapi Aalstar crest
    The official Okapi Aalstar crest
  • Crelan Okapi Aalstar(2015–2020)
    Crelan Okapi Aalstar
    (2015–2020)

Players

Current roster

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

Okapi Aalst roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.Nat.NameHt.Age
F/C 3 Montenegro Maraš, Ivan 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) 37 – (1986-04-20)20 April 1986
G 4 Belgium Nedovic, Matija 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) 22 – (2001-07-01)1 July 2001
G 5 Belgium Maluska, Lajoie 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) 19 – (2004-03-21)21 March 2004
G 6 Belgium Temmerman, Glenn 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) 22 – (2001-07-01)1 July 2001
PG 7 Belgium Schauvlieger, Steff 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) 21 – (2002-09-19)19 September 2002
F 8 Belgium Vermoesen, Joeri 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) 30 – (1993-03-01)1 March 1993
F 9 Belgium Bilos, Gabriel 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in)
F 10 Belgium Ledegen, Siebe 1.99 m (6 ft 6 in) 20 – (2003-01-16)16 January 2003
C 21 Serbia Popović, Nikola 2.11 m (6 ft 11 in) 26 – (1997-07-19)19 July 1997
G 22 United States Walker, Jordan 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) 26 – (1997-10-19)19 October 1997
Head coach
  • Belgium Thomas Crab
Assistant coach(es)
  • Belgium Pieter de Groof
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (FA) Free agent
  • Injured Injured
Updated: 7 October 2022

Depth chart
Pos. Starting 5 Bench 1 Bench 2
C Nikola Popović
PF Ivan Maraš
SF Shavon Coleman Siebe Ledegen
SG Paulius Valinskas Senne Geukens Dorian Marchant
PG Steff Schauvlieger Matz Buytaert

Notable players

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

Criteria

To appear in this section a player must have either:

  • Set a club record or won an individual award while at the club
  • Played at least one official international match for their national team at any time
  • Played at least one official NBA match at any time.

References
  1. "Geschiedenis". Okapi Aalst (in Flemish). Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  2. "Aalstar wint knotsgekke bekerfinale". sport.be. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  3. "Okapi Aalst wint Supercup basket". Het Nieuwsblad. 30 September 2012. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  4. "Okapi Aalstar wint Supercup". sport.be. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  5. "Basketbalclub Aalstar wordt opnieuw Okapi Aalst". sporza.be. 9 June 2020. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  6. "Licenties BNXT League 2021-2022 toegekend". Basketball League (in Dutch). Retrieved 10 July 2021.
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