Fortitudo Bologna

Fortitudo Pallacanestro Bologna 103, commonly known as Fortitudo Bologna and currently known as Lavoropiù Fortitudo Bologna for sponsorship reasons,[1] is a basketball club based in Bologna, Italy. It plays in the first division Lega Basket Serie A (LBA).

For the baseball team, see Fortitudo Baseball Bologna.
Fortitudo Bologna
2020–21 Fortitudo Bologna season
LeaguesLBA
Basketball Champions League
Founded1932 (original)
2013 (re-founded)
HistoryFortitudo Bologna
(1939–2012)
Fortitudo Bologna 103
(2013–present)
ArenaUnipol Arena
Capacity11,000
LocationBologna, Italy
Team colorsWhite and blue
   
PresidentChristian Pavani
Team managerMarco Carraretto
Head coachLuca Dalmonte
OwnershipComitato per la Fondazione Fortitudo
Championships2 Italian Leagues
1 Italian Cup
2 Italian Supercups
1 Italian LNP Cup
Websitefortitudo103.it

History

Fortitudo has for much of its history played second fiddle in its own city to arch rivals Virtus Bologna, with whom it contest the fierce Bologna Derby. Fortitudo won its first major trophy in 1998, winning the Italian Cup.

Fortitudo made the Italian league finals ten consecutive years (1997 through 2006). After three straight finals losses, Fortitudo won the Serie A for the first time in 2000. Four consecutive finals losses were followed by Fortitudo's second league title in 2005, courtesy of a 3-1 win over Armani Jeans Milano in the finals series when instant replay upheld a Ruben Douglas buzzer beater in Game 4 of the championship series.

In recent years, Fortitudo had been a fixture in the European top-tier Euroleague. Fortitudo's first achievement in European competition was a FIBA Korać Cup final against Jugoplastika in 1977 in their maiden participation. It got to the Euroleague Final four in 1999 (losing in the semifinal against city rivals Kinder Bologna and in third place game against Olympiacos) and the semifinal of the Euroleague playoffs in 2001 (again eliminated by rivals Virtus); then the club lost in the Euroleague final in 2004 to Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv by 44 points. The 2006-07 season saw them change coaches thrice as they finished thirteenth (out of eighteen), though they still qualified for the ULEB Cup 2007-08.

Financial difficulties saw the club's affiliation to the Italian Federation revoked and Fortitudo was barred from playing in any competition. On 18 June 2013, a group of local entrepreneurs, professionals and fans joined to give life to Fortitudo Pallacanestro Bologna 103, the spiritual successor (with the same fan base such as the Fossa dei Leoni fan group) of the original entity. Starting from the fourth division DNB, Fortitudo climbed to the second division Serie A2 where it will play during the 2015-16 season.

After a successful campaign in 2018/19, the club qualified for promotion to Serie A for the first time since its 2009 dissolution.


Honours

Domestic competitions
Winners (2): 1999–00, 2004–05
Runners-up (8): 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2005–06
Winners (1): 1997–98
Runners-up (1): 1967–68
Winners (2): 1998, 2005
Winners (1): 2018–19
Runners-up (1): 2015–16
Winners (1): 2010
Winners (1): 2014–15

European competitions
Runners-up (1): 2003–04
Semifinalists (1): 2000–01
4th place (1): 1998–99
Final Four (2): 1999, 2004
Runners-up (1): 1976–77
Semifinalists (1): 1995–96

Other competitions
  • Copa de Andata Carisbo
Winners (1): 2007
  • Via Resa, Italy Invitational Game
Winners (1): 2007

Top performances in European & Worldwide competitions
Main article: Fortitudo Pallacanestro Bologna in European and worldwide competitions
Season Achievement Notes
EuroLeague
1996–97 Quarter-finals eliminated 2-1 by FC Barcelona, 70-65 (W) in Bologna, 73-75 (L) in Barcelona and 62-87 (L) in Bologna
1997–98 Quarter-finals eliminated 2-0 by Kinder Bologna, 52-64 (L) in Bologna away, 56-58 (L) in Bologna home
1998–99 Final Four 4th place in Munich, lost to Kinder Bologna 57-62 in the semi-final, lost to Olympiacos 63-74 in the 3rd place game
1999–00 Quarter-finals eliminated 2-1 by Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv, 65-62 (W) in Tel Aviv, 73-80 (L) in Bologna and 64-79 (L) in Tel Aviv
2000–01 Semi-finals eliminated 3-0 by Kinder Bologna, 76-103 (L) in Bologna away, 84-92 (L) in Bologna away and 70-74 (L) in Bologna home
2003–04 Final defeated Montepaschi Siena 103-102 in the semi-final, lost to Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv 74-118 in the final (Tel Aviv)
FIBA Korać Cup
1976–77 Final lost to Jugoplastika 84-87 in the final (Genoa)
1994–95 Quarter-finals eliminated by Alba Berlin, 73-77 (L) in Berlin and 80-80 (D) in Bologna
1995–96 Semi-finals eliminated by Efes Pilsen, 78-102 (L) in Istanbul and 97-91 (W) in Bologna

Retired numbers
Fortitudo Bologna retired numbers
No Nat. Player Position Tenure Date retired Ref.
13Gary SchullC1968–19732010[2]

Players

Current roster
Fortitudo Lavoropiù Bologna roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.Nat.NameHt.Wt.Age
SG 1 Banks, Adrian 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) 88 kg (194 lb) 34 – (1986-02-09)9 February 1986
G/F 4 Aradori, Pietro 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) 100 kg (220 lb) 32 – (1988-10-09)9 October 1988
SG 6 Mancinelli, Stefano (C) 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) 105 kg (231 lb) 37 – (1983-03-17)17 March 1983
SG 10 Saunders, Wesley 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) 88 kg (194 lb) 27 – (1993-06-16)16 June 1993
C 16 Hunt, Dario 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) 104 kg (229 lb) 31 – (1989-05-02)2 May 1989
PG 21 Fantinelli, Matteo 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) 86 kg (190 lb) 27 – (1993-11-24)24 November 1993
PG 25 Baldasso, Tommaso 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) 88 kg (194 lb) 23 – (1998-01-29)29 January 1998
C 28 Cusin, Marco 2.11 m (6 ft 11 in) 107 kg (236 lb) 35 – (1985-02-28)28 February 1985
F 33 Withers, Todd 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) 98 kg (216 lb) 24 – (1996-05-06)6 May 1996
F/C 35 Totè, Leonardo 2.11 m (6 ft 11 in) 110 kg (243 lb) 23 – (1997-07-08)8 July 1997
PG 43 Sabatini, Gherardo 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) 75 kg (165 lb) 26 – (1994-05-13)13 May 1994
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
  • Stefano Comuzzo
  • Simone Bianchi
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Injured
Updated: 21 January 2021

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 Dario Hunt Leonardo Totè Marco Cusin
PF Todd Withers Stefano Mancinelli
SF Pietro Aradori
SG Adrian Banks Wesley Saunders
PG Matteo Fantinelli Tommaso Baldasso Gherardo Sabatini

5+5 format (colours: Italian or homegrown players; foreign players; young players)

Notable players

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

Players at the NBA draft
# Denotes player who has never appeared in an NBA regular season or playoff game
Position Player Year Round Pick Drafted by
SG Marko Jarić 2000 1st round 30th Los Angeles Clippers
SF/SG Carlos Delfino 2003 1st round 25th Detroit Pistons
PF/C Erazem Lorbek# 2005 2nd round 46th Indiana Pacers
SG/SF Marco Belinelli 2007 1st round 18th Golden State Warriors

Head coaches

Sponsorship names

Throughout the years, due to sponsorship, the club has been known as :

  • Cassera Bologna (1966–68)
  • Eldorado Bologna (1968–71)
  • Alco Bologna (1971–78)
  • Mercury Bologna (1978–80)
  • I&B Bologna (1980–81)
  • Lattesole Bologna (1981–83)
  • Yoga Bologna (1983–88)
  • Arimo Bologna (1988–90)
  • Aprimatic Bologna (1990–91)
  • Mangiaebevi Bologna (1991–93)
  • Filodoro Bologna (1993–95)
  • Teamsystem Bologna (1995–99)
  • Paf Wennington Bologna (1999–01)
  • Skipper Bologna (2001–04)
  • Climamio Bologna (2004–07)
  • UPIM Bologna [Domestically] (2007–08)
    • Beghelli Bologna [European competition] (2007–08)
  • GMAC Bologna [Domestically] (2008–09)
    • Fortitudo Bologna [European competition] (2008–09)
  • Amori Bologna (2009–10)
  • Tulipano Impianti Bologna (2013–14)
  • Eternedile Bologna (2014–2016)
  • Contatto Bologna (2016–2017)
  • Consultinvest Bologna (2017–2018)
  • Lavoropiù Fortitudo Bologna (2018–2019)
  • Fortitudo Pompea Bologna (2019–present)

References
  1. "Pompea è il nuovo main sponsor della Fortitudo Bologna" [Pompea is the new main sponsor of Fortitudo Bologna]. sportando.basketball (in Italian). 8 August 2019. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  2. Forni, Francesco (25 April 2010). "La Effe aspetta Castelletto poi l' omaggio al Barone" [Fortitudo awaits Castelletto then will honour the Baron]. Repubblica.it (in Italian). Retrieved 5 November 2017.
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