Merkezefendi Belediyesi Denizli Basket

Yukatel Merkezefendi Belediyesi Basket
LeaguesBSL
Founded2017
History
  • Yüksekçıta Koleji
    2017–2018
  • Merkezefendi Bld. Denizli Basket
    2018–2021
  • Yukatel Merkezefendi Belediyesi G.S.K.
    2021–present
ArenaPamukkale University Arena
Capacity5,000
LocationDenizli, Turkey
Team colorsGreen, blue
   
PresidentVeli Deveciler
Team managerEvren Yenice
Head coachZafer Aktaş
Team captainMahir Agva
Championships1 TBL
1 TB2L
Websitembb.org.tr

Merkezefendi Belediyesi Youth and Sports Club, also known as Yukatel Merkezefendi due to current sponsorship, is a professional basketball club based in Denizli competing in the Basketbol Süper Ligi. Their home arena is the Pamukkale University Arena with a maximum capacity of 5000 seats. In the year 2018, the club changed its name from Yüksekçıta Koleji to Merkezefendi Belediyesi Denizli Basket.[1][2]

History

In the year 2018, the club changed its name from Yüksekçıta Koleji to Merkezefendi Belediyesi Denizli Basket. With the name change came the promotion.

Merkezefendi Belediyesi Denizli Basket completed the 2018–19 regular season of the Turkish Basketball Second League undefeated in 20 games. In the first round of playoffs, Beylikdüzü Basket was defeated 2–0. The quarter finals saw them beating Boluspor, 3–0, and finally in the semi-final they defeated Erzurum BŞB Gençlik 3–1. Hence, promotion to the Turkish Basketball First League had been guaranteed. The season was not over yet, as at the final game on 13 May 2019 that was played on Sinan Erdem Dome, Merkezefendi Belediyesi Denizli Basket defeated Lokman Hekim Fethiye Belediyespor, 77–70. With this result, the team became the champion of the 2018–19 Turkish Basketball Second League and brought home their first-ever trophy.[3]

They finished the 2020–21 season as regular-season leaders and earned the right to compete in the top tier (BSL) for the 2021–22 season onward.

The team just escaped relegation in their first-ever season at the top flight. They concluded the 21-22 season as the 14th seed. They were just one win off relegation.

Their second season saw them improve to the 13th seed.

In the 23-24 season, they were back to the 14th seed.

Their best result came in the 24-25 season as they concluded it as the 12th seed. They missed the play-ins by 2 wins.

Players

Current roster

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

Merkezefendi Belediyesi Denizli Basket roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Wt. Age
PF 0 Tanışan, Emre 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) 26 – (1999-05-19)19 May 1999
PG 1 Griffin, Sam 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) 24 – (2001-09-26)26 September 2001
G 5 Yılmaz, Mustafa 20 – (2006-01-09)9 January 2006
G 6 Zoriks, Kristers 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 27 – (1998-05-25)25 May 1998
F/C 10 Vanwijn, Hans  2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) 31 – (1995-02-15)15 February 1995
SF 12 Bleijenbergh, Vrenz 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) 25 – (2000-10-14)14 October 2000
PG 13 İlyasoğlu, Ömercan 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) 25 – (2001-01-01)1 January 2001
PF 15 Miles, Isaiah 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) 31 – (1994-06-09)9 June 1994
SG 18 Badžim, Roko 1.97 m (6 ft 6 in) 28 – (1997-08-18)18 August 1997
SG 21 Cazalon, Malcolm 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 24 – (2001-08-27)27 August 2001
F 22 Engin, Ata 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) 21 – (2004-08-05)5 August 2004
C 24 Omić, Alen 2.16 m (7 ft 1 in) 33 – (1992-05-06)6 May 1992
C 44 Güven, Egemen 2.13 m (7 ft 0 in) 29 – (1996-09-25)25 September 1996
C 46 Agva, Mahir (C) 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) 29 – (1996-06-26)26 June 1996
PG 77 Paltacı, Erbey 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) 21 – (2004-05-10)10 May 2004
C 99 Tor, Murat Kağan 22 – (2003-08-12)12 August 2003
Head coach
  • Zafer Aktaş
Assistant coach(es)
  • Sergey Sergen Horuz
  • Cihan Özolcay
Strength & conditioning coach(es)
  • Mustafa Kara
Physiotherapist(s)
  • Ali İhsan Aktaş
Team manager
  • Ömer Halat

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Injured

Updated: March 13, 2026

Depth chart

Pos. Starting 5 Bench 1 Bench 2 Bench 3
C Mahir Agva Alen Omić Egemen Güven Murat Kağan Tor
PF Vrenz Bleijenbergh Emre Tanışan Ata Engin Hans Vanwijn
SF Malcolm Cazalon Isaiah Miles
SG Roko Badžim
PG Sam Griffin Ömercan İlyasoğlu Erbey Paltacı Mustafa Yılmaz

Honours

Domestic competitions

Turkish Basketball First League

  • Winner (1): 2020–21

Turkish Basketball Second League

  • Winner (1): 2018–19

Head coaches

  • Şahin Ateşdağlı (2018–2020)
  • Zafer Aktaş (2020–present)

Season by season

Season Tier League Pos. Record Turkish Cup European competitions
2017–18 3 T2BL 7th 13–13
2018–19 3 T2BL 1st 29–1
2019–20 2 TBL 3rd1 17–7
2020–21 2 TBL 1st 22–8
2021–22 1 BSL 14th 8–22
2022–23 1 BSL 13th 11–19
2023–24 1 BSL 14th 12–18
2024–25 1 BSL 12th 11–19
^1 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe.

Notable players

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities 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. ^ "Parkede Merkezefendi Belediyesi Denizli Basket Rüzgârı Esecek". merkezefendi.bel.tr (in Turkish). Merkezefendi Belediyesi. 7 August 2018. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
  2. ^ https://tbf.org.tr/ligler/bsl-2025-2026/takim-detay/246969/genel-bakis
  3. ^ "Merkezefendi Belediyesi Denizli Basket, TB2L'de şampiyon oldu!". hurriyet.com.tr (in Turkish). Hürriyet. 14 May 2019. Retrieved 28 July 2019.