BK Ventspils

BK Ventspils is a professional basketball club that is located in Ventspils, Latvia. The club competes in the Latvian Basketball League (LBL) and the Champions League.

BK Ventspils
LeaguesLatvian–Estonian Basketball League
Founded1994
HistoryBK Ventspils
1994–present
ArenaVentspils Olympic Center
Capacity3,085
LocationVentspils, Latvia
Team colorsYellow and Blue
   
PresidentĢirts Štekerhofs
Head coachGints Fogels
Championships10 Latvian Championships
1 BBL Championships
1 Latvian-Estonian Basketball League
Websitebkventspils.lv

History

BK Ventspils was founded in 1994. In first years Ventspils proved themselves as relevant part of Latvian basketball, but major step came in 1997 when Ventspils Olympic Center was built. At that time Ventspils started to play in international competitions playing in 1997–98 edition of FIBA Korać Cup, which was followed by playing in FIBA Saporta Cup. Meanwhile, in the Latvian League Ventspils reached finals in both 1998 and 1999, but in 2000 they won their first domestic title and then went on to win seven consecutive from 2000 to 2006. The team won its eight Latvian League championship in 2009.[1]

During that championship run Ventspils also had great performances in European competitions. In the 2002–03 season Ventspils reached FIBA Champions Cup Final Four, where they finished third. In the 2003–04 season Ventspils debuted in the ULEB Cup competition, making eighthfinals. In the 2004–05 ULEB Cup season, Ventspils reached new heights and missed semifinals after, losing by one point in two game series against Hemofarm. Before the 2009–10 season, Ventspils participated in the EuroLeague Qualifying round, becoming the first Latvian team to do so.

Ventspils has been a team for many players to establish themselves on the European stage, such as Mire Chatman, Marijonas Petravičius, Jānis Blūms, Brent Wright, and others, who later had successful careers at the EuroLeague level.

In 2013, BK Ventspils became the first Latvian club to have won the Baltic Basketball League, after winning the first leg by a score of 69:91,[2] and losing the second, by a score of just 70:73,[3] in the finals against Prienai, from Lithuania. In the following season, BK Ventspils won their first Latvian League title since 2009, becoming the champions of the 2014 Latvian Basketball League campaign.

Honours

League
Winners (1): 2019
Winners (10): 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2014, 2018
Runners-up (9): 1998, 1999, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019
Bronze (4): 1996, 2008, 2010, 2016
Winners (1): 2013
Runners-up (1): 2015
Bronze (2): 2007, 2010
Bronze (1): 2002
Bronze (1): 2003

Season by season
Season League Pos. Baltic League Pos. European competitions
1993–94 LBL 7th
1994–95 LBL 6th
1995–96 LBL 3rd
1996–97 LBL 4th
1997–98 LBL 2nd 3 Korać CupR16
1998–99 LBL 2nd 2 Saporta CupR16
1999–00 LBL 1st 2 Saporta CupR32
2000–01 LBL 1st
2001–02 LBL 1st
2002–03 LBL 1st 3 FIBA Champions' Cup3rd
2003–04 LBL 1st 2 ULEB CupT16
2004–05 LBL 1st Elite Division 4th 2 ULEB CupQF
2005–06 LBL 1st Elite Division 5th 2 ULEB CupT16
2006–07 LBL 2nd Elite Division 3rd 2 ULEB CupT16
2007–08 LBL 3rd Elite Division 6th 2 ULEB CupT32
2008–09 LBL 1st Elite Division 7th 3 EuroChallengeRS
2009–10 LBL 3rd Elite Division 4th 1 EuroleagueQR1
2 EurocupRS
2010–11 LBL 2nd Elite Division 4th 3 EuroChallengeQF
2011–12 LBL 2nd Elite Division 6th 2 EurocupQR
3 EuroChallengeQF
2012–13 LBL 2nd Champion 3 EuroChallengeL16
2013–14 LBL 1st Quarterfinalist 3 EuroChallengeL16
2014–15 LBL 2nd Runner-up 2 EurocupRS
2015–16 LBL 3rd 3 FIBA Europe CupR16
2016–17 LBL 2nd 3 Champions LeaguePOQ
2017–18 LBL 1st 3 Champions LeagueRS
4 FIBA Europe CupR16
2018–19 LBL 2nd Lat-Est BL 1st 3 Champions LeagueRS
4 FIBA Europe CupR16
2019–20 LBL 3rd Lat-Est BL 3 Champions LeagueQR2
4 FIBA Europe CupRS

Roster

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

BK Ventspils roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.Nat.NameHt.Wt.Age
PG 0 Cameron Rundles 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) 80 kg (176 lb) 32 – (1988-04-27)27 April 1988
PG 1 Kristiāns Šulcs 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in) 88 kg (194 lb) 18 – (2002-09-26)26 September 2002
SG 2 Artūrs Ausējs 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) 94 kg (207 lb) 30 – (1990-12-16)16 December 1990
PG 4 Ričards Vitoļskis 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) 82 kg (181 lb) 19 – (2001-10-15)15 October 2001
PF 9 Reinis Krūmiņš 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 98 kg (216 lb) 21 – (2000-01-02)2 January 2000
SG 10 Kristaps Mediss 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) 90 kg (198 lb) 31 – (1989-06-09)9 June 1989
PF 13 Māris Gulbis (C) 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) 100 kg (220 lb) 35 – (1985-10-04)4 October 1985
C 15 Ralfs Lācis 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) 112 kg (247 lb) 20 – (2000-04-05)5 April 2000
PG 20 Edgars Borherts 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) 84 kg (185 lb) 18 – (2002-10-21)21 October 2002
PF 22 Christopher Coffey 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) 102 kg (225 lb) 23 – (1997-07-08)8 July 1997
SF 23 Dāvis Ozers 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 88 kg (194 lb) 16 – (2004-03-28)28 March 2004
SF 31 Dāvids Vīksne 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) 93 kg (205 lb) 20 – (2000-11-07)7 November 2000
C 33 Andrejs Šeļakovs 2.10 m (6 ft 11 in) 113 kg (249 lb) 32 – (1988-11-08)8 November 1988
SF 35 Kristaps Ķilps 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) 87 kg (192 lb) 19 – (2001-03-20)20 March 2001
Head coach
  • Gints Fogels
Assistant coach(es)
  • Andris Gūtmanis
  • Edgars Seredjuks
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Injured
Updated: October 1, 2020

Notable players

Notable coaches

References
  1. http://www.delfi.lv/sports/news/basketball/news/lbl-isa-vesture-21-sezona-pieci-cempioni.d?id=42717326&page=2
  2. BC Prienai - BK Ventspils : 69:91 (Match report) ScoresPro.com
  3. BK Ventspils - BC Prienai : 70:73 (Match report) ScoresPro.com
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.