Ufuk Sarıca
Ufuk Sarıca (born June 13, 1972) is a Turkish former professional basketball player and current head coach of Pınar Karşıyaka and the Turkish national team.
 Sarıca as head coach of Anadolu Efes in 2012 | |
| Pınar Karşıyaka | |
|---|---|
| Position | Head coach |
| Personal information | |
| Born | June 13, 1972 İstanbul, Turkey |
| Nationality | Turkish |
| Listed height | 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in) |
| Career information | |
| Playing career | 1989–2004 |
| Number | 15 |
| Coaching career | 2006–present |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1989–1999 | Efes Pilsen |
| 1999–2001 | Ülkerspor |
| 2001 | Bnei Herzliya |
| 2001 | Montepaschi Siena |
| 2001–2002 | Pınar Karşıyaka |
| 2002–2003 | Darüşşafaka |
| 2003–2004 | Beşiktaş |
| As coach: | |
| 2006–2007 | Beşiktaş (assistant) |
| 2007 | Beşiktaş |
| 2007–2008 | Beşiktaş (assistant) |
| 2008–2011 | Anadolu Efes (assistant) |
| 2011–2012 | Anadolu Efes |
| 2012–2016 | Pınar Karşıyaka |
| 2014–2017 | Turkey (assistant) |
| 2016–2018 | Beşiktaş |
| 2017–present | Turkey |
| 2019–present | Pınar Karşıyaka |
Playing career
Sarıca began his career at the age of 16 at Efes Pilsen's Youth Team, and played for Efes for 11 consecutive seasons. During his time at Efes, he won the Korać Cup in 1996, beating Italian side Olimpia Milano at the two-legged final. While with Efes Pilsen he reached the European Cup final as well as playing in the EuroLeague Quarter-finals 4 times (3 of these quarterfinals were consecutive between 1997 and 1999). He was part of the strong Efes roster along with Hidayet Türkoğlu, Ömer Onan, and Hüseyin Beşok. He left the team in the summer of 1999 after important members of the legendary Efes Team of 1996, Tamer Oyguç, Murat Evliyaoğlu, and Volkan Aydın, were let go from the club.
He joined Ülkerspor where he won the Turkish League title during the 2000-2001 season. As Harun Erdenay became more influential in the forward position his playing time was limited and as such he moved to Israeli side Bnei Herzliya. This was followed by a short spell at Montepaschi Siena.
After Siena, Sarica returned to Turkey and played at Pınar Karşıyaka, Darüşşafaka, and Beşiktaş Cola Turka, each for a single season, after which he retired.
Coaching career
First years
Sarıca began his post-retirement career as the assistant of Murat Didin at Beşiktaş. When Didin left the club in March 2007, Sarıca was appointed as caretaker manager until the end of the season. Then he worked with Ergin Ataman as assistant coach at Beşiktaş again where they reached the TBL play-off semi-finals in the 2007-08 season. Ataman left the Beşiktaş and joined Efes Pilsen at the end of the season and Sarıca joined Efes Pilsen as the assistant coach of Ataman once again.[1] He became head coach on an interim basis during the 2010-11 season and was handed the role as permanent head coach in June 2011.
Karşıyaka
On July 17, 2012, he signed a two-year contract with Pınar Karşıyaka.[2] He won the Turkish Cup championship in the 2013-14 season. On June 5, 2014, he signed an extension contract with Pınar Karşıyaka until 2015. On June 19, 2015, he won the Turkish League championship in 2014-15 season by beating Fenerbahçe Ülker and Efes Pilsen in semifinals and finals.[3]
Return to Karşıyaka
On June 25, 2019, he has signed 3-years deal with former team Pınar Karşıyaka.[5]
Achievements
As player
As coach
References
- Sarica at Efes! (in Turkish)
- Pınar Karşıyaka hires Ufuk Sarıca
- http://www.tbl.org.tr/tbl/detail/2015/06/19/tbl'nin-yeni-%C5%9Fampiyonu-p%C4%B1nar-kar%C5%9F%C4%B1yaka
- Ufuk Sarıca, Beşiktaş Sompo Japan’da (in Turkish)
- "Pınar Karşıyaka'da Ufuk Sarıca Dönemi" (in Turkish). Ntvspor. June 25, 2019. Retrieved June 26, 2019.