“No one had such expectations”

Next season, two Iisaloes will work as head coaches in the German men’s basketball main series. Bundesliga team USC Heidelberg inform (switch to another service)that 36-year-old Joonas Iisalo to start the club as head coach with a two-year contract.

Joonas Iisalo was the head coach in Finland in the 1st division in Forssa’s Koripoja 2015–16 and in the Korisliiga in Salon Vilppa in 2016–19. He then moved to Germany and Crailsheim Merlins with his brother Tuomas Iisalon39, assistant.

2020–21 Iisalot led Crailsheim Merlins, who usually lives at the tail end of the series and operates on a small budget, all the way to the playoffs.

This season, Iisalo have coached Bonn, who leads the German Bundesliga. Last week, Tuomas Iisalo was chosen as the coach of the year in a series of overwhelming votes. His contract to Bonn, published last summer, is two years old.

– This is a great opportunity for yourself (head coach) as a coach. For three years now, we have been here with Tuomas, we have learned a lot and grown up together as coaches. There have been a staggering three years. No one had such expectations, Joonas Iisalo tells Urheil on the phone.

Joonas Iisalo sees the “Coach of the Year” award his brother receives as a “staff” award, as Tuomask said earlier.

– We have been Tuomas, me, the Hungarian assistant coach, the Dutch analyst and the physio, who have done this together.

Heidelberg is a city of more than 160,000 inhabitants in the south-west of Germany. The city is known especially for the oldest university in Germany, and one of the oldest still operating in Europe – founded in 1386.

There is also a history of basketball. USC Heidelberg has won the second most German championships, 13, but the most recent came in 1977.

When inquiries for head coach began to become, Iisalo ended up choosing Heidelberg because he believes it is a potential, up-and-coming club again.

Iisalo says that some player contracts are ready, but he is allowed to choose his background team and player base quite autonomously. According to Iisalo, the year in Bonn has taught me how important it is to find players who fit our own visions.

– Then the daily work is much easier. As a coach, you can’t terribly compromise on how you want to coach or assemble a team. You have to be pretty absolute about that and believe in the thing that is being done. I always miss a little luck.

– I want to bring my culture and style of play to Heidelberg. My mentality always puts “we” ahead of “me”. I enjoy that everyone works hard, intelligently and together towards a common goal. Now my focus is on the playoffs starting, but after that I look forward to getting to know the fans of Heidelberg and the beautiful city, Iisalo said in the club’s press release.

The club describes on its website that the modern term “assistant head coach” has suited Joonas Iisalo well as Tuomas Iisalo’s help.

– We have hired a coach who will bring a new approach and philosophy to the game. In general, we noticed from the beginning that Jonah had clear thoughts on many things. His ideas fit very well into our guidelines for years to come, said Heidelberg Adviser Alex Vogel.

Heidelberg is ranked 14th in the Bundesliga and is not in the top eight playoffs. The Iisalo club Bonn is at the top of the regular season this season, but it has already played its match. Series two Alba Berlin are two points away and are playing three more regular season matches.

Before leaving for Germany, Iisalo coached Salon Vilpa twice for the Finnish Championship silver. Last season, the Salo winners won their first championship.

Now Vilpas will play in the basketball league finals again, albeit as an underdog. Kauhajoki, the winner of the regular season, crashed into Vilppa on Monday night in the first final match 90–68.

Ipalo is pleased with the success pipe.

– I have so many good memories from that time. Not just from the fields, but from working with those people. There are still a lot of friends in Salo and I am sincerely happy for them. I see no reason why success should not continue from here on out. The organization is in shape and the framework is in order.

The story was updated throughout at 2.53 pm with comments by Joonas Iisalo.