2023-05-23 14:37:57
After the resignation of chairman and player Raphael Miksch, two more pillars left Salzburg with the half-brothers.
The BBU men’s basketball season came to an end at the end of March with the elimination in the quarter-finals of the 2nd Bundesliga. Although the first play-off win in the club’s history was achieved against Mattersburg, the disappointment at the missed opportunity after an otherwise strong season for long stretches was great. Above all, the lack of team play in the decisive phases hurt not only the fans who often enthusiastically supported their team.
The fact that the dream of promotion had burst again showed the first effects a week ago. Chairman Raphael Miksch vacated his post and also announced his retirement as a player. Decisive were differences about the future orientation of the club – in other words: how quickly and intensively the promotion to the top division should be aimed for. Almost at the same time, the contract with head coach Christian Ponz was extended.
It is now clear that two more key players will leave the club. In addition to Adrian Mitchell, his half-brother Lorenzo O’Neal will no longer play for the BBU. Mitchell had returned to his youth club in early 2019, where his father Aaron was on the bench as head coach at the time.
The return of the prodigal son encouraged those responsible for the club after several departures during the season. After all, he was voted the rising star of the 1st Bundesliga in 2017 and played for Austria’s U18 and U20 national teams. After that, however, a long injury layoff threw him off track. When he returned to Salzburg, he wanted to regain his old strength.
Lorenzo O’Neal’s signing caused even more excitement in 2021, as the first division veteran had been banned four years earlier for a clumsy attempt at manipulation during a doping control. For him, too, the BBU should mean a new start after the long forced break.
The statistics of the past season show how important the two players became for the Salzburg game. With a total of 70 three-pointers sunk and 167 assists, they were the club’s number one and two in these categories. “Unfortunately, there were differences with them in terms of game philosophy and goals,” explains Coach Ponz. “We want to play team basketball in the club. In addition, the internal strengthening of the club has priority over promotion.”
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