BK Ventspils

BK Ventspils is a professional basketball club that is located in Ventspils, Latvia. The club competes in the Latvian Basketball League (LBL), the Baltic Basketball League (BBL) 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
         
Head coachArtūrs Visockis-Rubenis
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 Timothy Shorts 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) 73 kg (161 lb) 22 – (1997-10-15)15 October 1997
G 3 Artūrs Grīnbergs 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) 85 kg (187 lb) 23 – (1996-08-19)19 August 1996
SG 5 Jānis Kaufmanis 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) 88 kg (194 lb) 30 – (1989-10-03)3 October 1989
PG 6 Mārcis Vītols (C) 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) 92 kg (203 lb) 28 – (1992-05-02)2 May 1992
SG 8 Kristaps Gludītis 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 87 kg (192 lb) 24 – (1995-11-06)6 November 1995
G 11 Wes Washpun 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) 79 kg (174 lb) 27 – (1993-03-26)26 March 1993
F 13 Māris Gulbis 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) 98 kg (216 lb) 34 – (1985-10-04)4 October 1985
C 15 Klāvs Čavars 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) 110 kg (243 lb) 24 – (1996-02-11)11 February 1996
C 30 Ronalds Zaķis 2.07 m (6 ft 9 in) 110 kg (243 lb) 33 – (1987-07-08)8 July 1987
G 33 Dāvids Vīksne 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) 80 kg (176 lb) 19 – (2000-11-07)7 November 2000
SG 35 Kristaps Ķilps 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 85 kg (187 lb) 19 – (2001-03-20)20 March 2001
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
  • Gints Fogels
  • Gatis Melderis
  • Edgars Seredjuks
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Injured
Updated: July 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
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