BK Ventspils

Last updated
BK Ventspils
BK Ventspils logo.svg
Leagues Latvian–Estonian Basketball League
Founded1994
HistoryBK Ventspils
1994–present
Arena Ventspils Olympic Center
Capacity3,085
Location Ventspils, Latvia
Team colors Yellow and Blue
  
President Ģirts Štekerhofs
Head coach Gints Fogels
Championships10 Latvian Championships
1 BBL Championships
1 Latvian-Estonian Basketball League
Website bkventspils.lv

BK Ventspils is a professional basketball club that is located in Ventspils, Latvia. The club competes in the Latvian-Estonian Basketball League.

Contents

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 (12): 1998, 1999, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023
Bronze (6): 1996, 2008, 2010, 2016, 2020, 2024
Runners-up (1): 2022
Winners (1): 2013
Runners-up (1): 2015
Bronze (2): 2007, 2010
Bronze (1): 2002
Bronze (1): 2003

Season by season

SeasonLeaguePos. Baltic League Pos.European competitions
1993–94 LBL 7th
1994–95 LBL 6th
1995–96 LBL 3rd
1996–97 LBL 4th
1997–98 LBL 2nd3 Korać Cup R16
1998–99 LBL 2nd2 Saporta Cup R16
1999–00 LBL 1st2 Saporta Cup R32
2000–01 LBL 1st
2001–02 LBL 1st
2002–03 LBL 1st3 FIBA Champions' Cup 3rd
2003–04 LBL 1st2 ULEB Cup T16
2004–05 LBL 1st Elite Division 4th2 ULEB Cup QF
2005–06 LBL 1st Elite Division 5th2 ULEB Cup T16
2006–07 LBL 2nd Elite Division 3rd2 ULEB Cup T16
2007–08 LBL 3rd Elite Division 6th2 ULEB Cup T32
2008–09 LBL 1st Elite Division 7th3 EuroChallenge RS
2009–10 LBL 3rd Elite Division 4th1 Euroleague QR1
2 Eurocup RS
2010–11 LBL 2nd Elite Division 4th3 EuroChallenge QF
2011–12 LBL 2nd Elite Division 6th2 Eurocup QR
3 EuroChallenge QF
2012–13 LBL 2nd Champion 3 EuroChallenge L16
2013–14 LBL 1st Quarterfinalist 3 EuroChallenge L16
2014–15 LBL 2nd Runner-up 2 Eurocup RS
2015–16 LBL 3rd3 FIBA Europe Cup R16
2016–17 LBL 2nd3 Champions League POQ
2017–18 LBL 1st3 Champions League RS
4 FIBA Europe Cup R16
2018–19 LBL 2nd Lat-Est BL 1st3 Champions League RS
4 FIBA Europe Cup R16
2019–20 LBL 3rd Lat-Est BL 3 Champions League QR2
4 FIBA Europe Cup RS
2020–21 LBL 2nd Lat-Est BL 6th

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
G 2 Flag of Latvia.svg Artūrs Ausējs 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)90 kg (198 lb)33 – (1990-12-16)16 December 1990
G 5 Flag of the United States.svg Ishmael El-Amin 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)81 kg (179 lb)25 – (1998-12-02)2 December 1998
SG 6 Flag of Latvia.svg Dāvis Dāvids Ozers 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)93 kg (205 lb)20 – (2004-03-28)28 March 2004
PG 7 Flag of Latvia.svg Renārs Birkāns 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)82 kg (181 lb)26 – (1997-06-26)26 June 1997
SG 8 Flag of Latvia.svg Valters Vēveris   Cruz Roja.svg 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)82 kg (181 lb)24 – (2000-04-21)21 April 2000
PF 15 Flag of Serbia.svg Toma Vasiljević 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in)100 kg (220 lb)23 – (2000-10-07)7 October 2000
F 23 Flag of Latvia.svg Linards Jaunzems 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in)95 kg (209 lb)28 – (1995-10-03)3 October 1995
G 24 Flag of the United States.svg Daeshon Francis 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)95 kg (209 lb)28 – (1996-01-26)26 January 1996
C 30 Flag of Latvia.svg Ronalds Zaķis 2.07 m (6 ft 9 in)110 kg (243 lb)36 – (1987-07-08)8 July 1987
C 31 Flag of Latvia.svg Edvards Mežulis 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in)115 kg (254 lb)24 – (2000-01-14)14 January 2000
PF 42 Flag of Latvia.svg Rūdis Donis 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in)85 kg (187 lb)17 – (2006-11-12)12 November 2006
PG 44 Flag of Latvia.svg Jānis Censonis 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)75 kg (165 lb)19 – (2005-02-08)8 February 2005
F 45 Flag of Latvia.svg Toms Salnājs 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in)87 kg (192 lb)19 – (2005-02-25)25 February 2005
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Cruz Roja.svg Injured
Updated: October 6, 2023

Depth chart

Pos.Starting 5Bench 1Bench 2
C Ronalds Zaķis Edvards Mežulis
PF Toma Vasiljević Rūdis Donis
SF Linards Jaunzems Dāvis Dāvids Ozers Toms Salnājs
SG Artūrs Ausējs Daeshon Francis Valters Vēveris Cruz Roja.svg
PG Ishmael El-Amin Renārs Birkāns Jānis Censonis

Notable players

Notable coaches

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References

  1. ↑ "Tronī uzkāpj 'Ventspils' (2000-2006; 2009)". 3 October 2012.
  2. ↑ BC Prienai - BK Ventspils : 69:91 (Match report) ScoresPro.com
  3. ↑ BK Ventspils - BC Prienai : 70:73 (Match report) ScoresPro.com
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