GER - Beck given boot

OLDENBURG (BBL) - EWE Baskets Oldenburg have sacked head coach Don Beck after the American failed to lead the team to the play-offs.

Oldenburg's managing director Hermann Schuller confirmed the 53-year-old's departure from the BBL side after they fell one game short of reaching the post-season.

Oldenburg were 18-16 and Artland Dragons and Bayer Giants Leverkusen both made it with 19-15 records.

"It's a painful but necessary step," Schuller said. "We'd like to thank Don Beck for his work in Oldenburg. Especially in the early years, he brought us a big step forward and helped us to open more doors.

"But now we have to realise that our expectations are not being fulfilled."

The New Yorker has coached in Germany since 1994, serving seven years as Trier coach and winning the 2001 German Cup before moving to Oldenburg in 2002.

Beck served five years as head coach, leading Oldenburg to the play-offs in each of the first four seasons. In 2004 and 2005, they lost in the quarter-finals to
Bamberg, who finished as finalists and champions.

Last season, Beck's team lost to eventual finalists Alba Berlin in the quarters.

The club have not named Beck's replacement but said they would like to retain the services of Ralph Held, who was Beck's assistant.

FIBA