Jena, 16.04.2026. Major news in Thuringian top-tier basketball: The club Science City Jena has parted ways with its head coach Björn Harmsen with immediate effect. The former coach of the Gießen 46ers was officially released from his duties.
- Event: Release of the head coach
- Person involved: Björn Harmsen (former coach of the Gießen 46ers)
- Club: Science City Jena
- Time of report: April 16, 2026
Realignment on the Sidelines
The management of Science City Jena is taking consequences for the team’s sporting development with this decision. The officials of the Thuringian basketball club announced the immediate separation from head coach Björn Harmsen. This move is intended to provide the team on the court with new momentum.
Björn Harmsen is a widely known name in German professional basketball. In addition to his time with the Gießen 46ers, which he looks back on as an experienced coach, he is a defining sporting figure, particularly in Thüringen. The coaching change now marks a significant turning point for the team. The club management initially left open who will stand on the sidelines for the Jena basket hunters in the future. However, the search for a suitable successor is likely already in full swing to quickly resume regular training and game operations under new leadership.
Background: The Sparkassen-Arena and Jena’s Basketball History
Science City Jena is one of the city’s most important sporting flagships. The name Björn Harmsen is inevitably linked to the greatest successes in the club’s history: he has already led the team into the highest German league, the easyCredit BBL, twice (2007 and 2016).
The team’s home games take place in the Sparkassen-Arena in the Jena district of Burgau. The multifunctional hall offers space for around 3,000 enthusiastic fans during basketball games. It is conveniently located on the Bundesstraße 88 and is ideally connected to the city center and Lobeda via the tram lines of Jenaer Nahverkehr. Basketball enjoys enormous popularity in Jena and, alongside the football club FC Carl Zeiss Jena, is the largest spectator magnet in local competitive sports.
Source:
Science City releases former coach of the Gießen 46ers
Transparency Note: This article was automatically created, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI support.