Rīgas ASK

Rīgas ASK (Rīgas Atlētika Sporta Klubs) was a professional basketball club that was based in Riga, Latvian SSR.

For the namesake team that played between 2004 and 2009, see ASK Riga.
Rīgas ASK
LeaguesUSSR Premier League
(1953–1991)
LBL
(1991–1997)
Founded1931
Folded1997
HistoryRīgas ASK
(1931–1997)
LocationRiga, Latvian SSR & Latvia
Team colorsYellow and Blue
   
ChampionshipsEuroLeague Championships (3)
USSR Premier League Championships (3)

History

Rīgas ASK was founded in 1931, and started playing in the Latvian Basketball Championship. In the years that Latvia was controlled by the Soviet Union, the club was a member of the USSR Premier League, which lasted until 1991 (and to 1992 as the CIS Unified League). In 1953, head coach Alexander Gomelsky came to the club, and he remained with it until 1966.[1]

Almost immediately, Gomelsky led ASK to the top of the USSR League, as he and the club's star player, Jānis Krūmiņš, led them to USSR League championships in 1955, 1957, and 1958,[2] and also to the top of the European-wide top-tier level, by winning the FIBA European Champions Cup (now called EuroLeague) three times in a row, in 1958, 1959, and 1960.[3][4][5] As well as to the final in 1961.

In 1997, Rīgas ASK merged with BK Brocēni, and the new club of BK ASK Brocēni was thus created.[6] In 2004, a new club, under the name of BK Rīga was founded; and in 2006, it was renamed to ASK Rīga, after gaining the support of the Riga City Council, the National Latvian Army Forces, and some powerful sponsors.

Honours

Total titles: 6

Domestic competitions
Champions (3): 1954–55, 1956–57, 1957–58
Runners-up (2): 1961–62, 1963–64

European competitions
Champions (3): 1958, 1958–59, 1959–60
Runners-up (1): 1960–61[7]

Notable players

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

Head coaches
  • Gunārs Baldzēns (1953)
  • Alexander Gomelsky (1953–1966)
  • Maigonis Valdmanis (1966–1969)
  • Gunārs Baldzēns (1969–1970)
  • Juris Kalniņš (1970–1971)
  • Jānis Zeltiņš (1971–1974 & 1987–1988)
  • Valentīns Meļņičuks (1974–1981)
  • Nikolajs Bolvačovs (1981–1986 & 1988)
  • Aleksandrs Gostevs (1988)
  • Armands Krauliņš (1989–1990)
  • Pēteris Višņēvics (1990–1991)

References
  1. Aleksandr "Sascha" Gomelsky. Jewishsports.net. Retrieved on 31 October 2016.
  2. ASK|Basket.lv
  3. FIBA European Champions Cup 58.
  4. FIBA European Champions Cup 1958/59.
  5. FIBA European Champions Cup 1959/60.
  6. Countries in Eurocups: USSR / Latvia.
  7. FIBA European Champions Cup 1960/61
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