Yoast United

Yoast United is a Dutch basketball club based in Bemmel, Gelderland. Established in 2020, the team plays in the BNXT League, the highest level of basketball in the Netherlands. Home games are played at De Kooi, which has a capacity of 650 people.

Yoast United
Leagues	BNXT League
Founded	May 2020; 3 years ago (May 2020)
Arena	De Kooi
Capacity	650
Location	Bemmel, Netherlands
Main sponsor	Yoast SEO
President	Sjang van de Wiel
Head coach	Jeroen van Vugt
Website	yoastunited.nl
Home Away

History

The organization was founded in May 2020 under the temporary name of Basketball Community Gelderland with the aim of bringing back professional basketball to the province of Gelderland. Since the folding of Matrixx Magixx in 2014, the province had been without a club in the first-tier Dutch Basketball League (DBL).

On 5 August, the club announced it was taking the step to the DBL and had acquired a provisional license for the 2020–21 season.^[1] On 9 August, the club announced Matthew Otten as its first head coach.^[2] On 13 August, the club signed its first player in American Kaleb Warner.^[3] Yoast SEO signed a three-year contract to become main sponsor of the team, which was named Yoast United.^[4] On 4 October, Yoast United won its first-ever DBL game away against BAL Weert, 91–59.^[5]

United had an incredible 2021 Dutch Cup campaign in its debut season. It defeated favored Donar and Landstede Hammers in the quarter- and semifinals. Point guard Austin Luke, also assists leader of the DBL, led the team with 52 points in the semifinal that was won after overtime.^[6] In the final, Yoast lost to eight-seeded BAL.^[7]

Starting from the 2021–22 season, United plays in the BNXT League, in which the national leagues of Belgium and the Netherlands are combined. Head coach Otten signed with Donar Groningen, and Paul Vervaeck signed a 2-year contract to become his successor.^[8]

Arena

Yoast United plays its games at Sportcentrum De Kooi, which had been used by amateur club Batouwe Basketball before as well.^[9] With a capacity of 650 people, it is the smallest arena in the BNXT League.

Players

Current roster

Yoast United roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Age SG 0   van Schaik, Bart 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 24 – (1999-07-09)9 July 1999 PG 3   Bruining, Mack 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) 26 – (1997-07-04)4 July 1997 G 7   Hoft, Winston 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) 22 – (2002-04-03)3 April 2002 PG 9   Schilder, Mike 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) 29 – (1994-05-24)24 May 1994 PF 12   Nossek, Wietze 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) 26 – (1998-02-22)22 February 1998 F/C 14   Levi, Spencer 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) 24 – (1999-04-11)11 April 1999 C 15   Schilder, Logan 2.13 m (7 ft 0 in) 27 – (1996-12-05)5 December 1996 F 17   de Vries, Bjorn 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) 24 – (1999-10-20)20 October 1999 F 22   Lācis, Francis 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) 25 – (1999-02-22)22 February 1999 F 24   Cole, Vince 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 24 – (1999-10-09)9 October 1999	Head coach   Paul Vervaeck Assistant coach(es)   Jeroen van Vugt Team manager   Jan van der Velde Legend (C) Team captain (DP) Development player   Injured Roster Updated: August 29, 2022

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

Depth chart

Pos.	Starting 5	Bench 1	Bench 2
C	Samuel Idowu	Giel Paling
PF	Jett Speelman	Josh Ferguson	Jurrian Douwes
SF	Kaleb Warner	Nesta Agasi	Bor van den Bosch
SG	Duane Wilson	Jaro Abrams	Nino Okai
PG	Nate Britt	Bob Berghuis	Winston Hoft

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.

•   Andrés Ibargüen (1 season: 2020–21)
•   Austin Luke (1 season: 2020–21)

Individual awards

DBL All-Rookie Team

• Bob Berghuis – 2021

Honours

DBL Cup

• Runners-up (1): 2021

Season by season

Key

^	National playoff berth

Season	Tier	League	Regular season					National Playoffs	BNXT Playoffs	Dutch Cup	Head coach
			Finish	Played	Wins	Losses	Win%
Yoast United
2020–21	1	DBL	7th^	21	16	5	.762	Lost in Quarterfinals (Heroes Den Bosch, 161–174)	–	Runners-up	Matthew Otten
2021–22	1	BNXT League	18th	30	9	21	.300	–	Lost in First Round (BAL), 152–163	Eightfinalist	Paul Vervaeck
2022–23	1	BNXT League	15th	28	13	15	.464	Lost in Quarterfinals (Donar), 2–0	Lost in Second Run (Mons-Hainaut), 168–166	Eightfinalist

Sponsorship

Period	Kit manufacturer	Shirt sponsor	Ref.
2020–	Jako	Yoast SEO	^[10]

Head coaches

Main category: Yoast United coaches

Period	Head coach
2020–2021	Matthew Otten
2021–2023	Paul Vervaeck
2023–	Jeroen van Vugt

References

1. "Basketball Community Gelderland naar DBL" (in Dutch). Dutch Basketball League. 5 August 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
2. "Otten hoofdcoach Basketball Community Gelderland" (in Dutch). 9 August 2020. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
3. "Kaleb Warner eerste speler voor DBL team van Basketball Community Gelderland". Basketball Community Gelderland. 13 August 2020. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
4. "Profbasketballers in Bemmel gaan Yoast United heten". De Gelderlander. 17 September 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
5. "Fel Yoast United stunt bij debuut in eredivisie basketbal en overklast subtopper". De Volkskrant (in Dutch). 4 October 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
6. Decates, Vincent (8 May 2021). "Er staat bij Yoast United even geen maat op ontketende Texaan Austin Luke". De Gelderlander. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
7. "Bekerdroom Yoast United spat in de finale uiteen". Yoast United (in Dutch). Retrieved 27 October 2021.
8. "Paul Vervaeck coach van Yoast United Nijmegen". Het Nieuwsblad (in Flemish). Retrieved 27 October 2021.
9. "Sportcentrum Schaapskooi". Schaapskooi.com (in Dutch).
10. "NIEUWE HOOFDSPONSOR EN NAAM VOOR GELDERLAND". Basketball.nl. 16 September 2020.

External links

• Official website (in Dutch)
• Twitter profile
• Yoast SEO