Saski Baskonia

Saski Baskonia
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Caja Laboral Baskonia
Caja Laboral Baskonia logo
Leagues ACB
Euroleague
Founded 1959
History C.D. Basconia
(1959–1983)
Caja Alava
(1983–1986)
Taugres Baskonia/Tau Ceramica Baskonia
(1986–2009)
Caja Laboral Baskonia
(2009–Present)
Arena Fernando Buesa Arena
(capacity: 9,900)
Location Vitoria-Gasteiz, Basque Country
Team colors White, Red, Dark Blue

President Josean Querejeta
Head coach Duško Ivanović
Championships 2 Spanish Championships
6 Spanish Cups
4 Spanish Supercups
1 Saporta Cup
Website
baskonia.com
Uniforms
Kit body redsides.png
Home jersey
Kit shorts redsides.png
Team colours
Home

Kit body blacksides.png
Away jersey
Kit shorts blacksides.png
Team colours
Away

Saski Baskonia, S.A.D., known as Caja Laboral Baskonia for sponsorship reasons is a Spanish professional basketball club from the Basque city of Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. The club's name sponsor is the Basque bank Caja Laboral.

Well-known players that have played with the club have included: Igor Rakočević, Jose Calderon, Andres Nocioni, Luis Scola, Carlos Arroyo, Fabricio Oberto, Wálter Herrmann, and Jorge Garbajosa.
Contents
[hide]

* 1 Sponsorship naming
* 2 History
* 3 Players
o 3.1 Roster
o 3.2 Depth Chart
* 4 Head coaches
* 5 Honors
o 5.1 Trophies
o 5.2 Individual awards
* 6 Notable players
* 7 Notes and references
* 8 External links

[edit] Sponsorship naming
Logo from the TAU era (1986-2009)

Outside of Spain, the club was often referred to for years as TAU Cerámica Baskonia, a Spanish brand name of ceramics manufacturer TAULELL, which name sponsored the club from 1986-2009. Originally, TAULELL used another of its brand names, Taugres, as the name of the team, before changing the name to TAU Cerámica Baskonia in 1997.[1] TAU, Baskonia and TAU Baskonia were also frequently used to refer to the team. Baskonia, Saski Baskonia, and Saski Baskonia, S.A.D. refer to the name of the actual sports club itself. In 2009, the Spanish bank Caja Laboral became the new name sponsor of the club[2][3] and increased the amount of money that the name sponsor contributes to the sports club's budget.
[edit] History

The club was founded in 1959 as the basketball section of Club Deportivo Vasconia. It first played at Spain's highest level in 1971, and emerged as a major force in Spanish basketball in the 1990s. Most recently, Baskonia advanced to the Euroleague Final Four in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008, losing to Maccabi Tel Aviv in the 2005 final and 2006 semifinals, to Panathinaikos in the 2007 semifinals, and to CSKA Moscow in the 2008 semifinals.

Through outstanding scouting and shrewd management, Baskonia has built a squad that has been to four straight Final Fours and now is looking to take the last step to becoming a Euroleague champion. Baskonia's first trophy of any kind came in 1995, the Spanish King's Cup, when Pablo Laso and Velimir Perasović led the team to an historical win. The club was already making noise internationally too, reaching the Saporta Cup final in both 1994 and 1995.

When it hosted the same title game in 1996, Baskonia pleased its many fans by downing PAOK Thessaloniki behind 31 points from Ramon Rivas. Baskonia made its first Spanish Championship playoff final in 1998 and added a second Spanish King's Cup title in 1999.
Fernando Buesa Arena (formerly known as Araba Arena), home of Baskonia since 1991

They then found quick success in the newborn Euroleague. With a deep roster featuring Elmer Bennett, Saulius Štombergas, Victor Alexander, Fabricio Oberto and a young Luis Scola, Baskonia reached the 2000-01 Euroleague playoff final series before losing to Kinder Bologna in the fifth and final game on the road. With winning momentum and the additions of Dejan Tomašević and Andres Nocioni, Baskonia celebrated the next season with another Spanish King's Cup trophy and its first Spanish League title ever. Trophy lifting became a habit now. Baskonia snatched two more Spanish King's Cups, in 2004 and 2006, as Luis Scola and Pablo Prigioni played decisive roles, and success followed the team in the Euroleague. Baskonia’s arrival to its first Final Four in 2005 couldn’t have been louder, as the team upset favored host CSKA Moscow in the semifinals, but couldn’t overcome defending champ Maccabi in the title game.

Back home, Baskonia again reached the Spanish League finals, only to lose in dramatic fashion. Baskonia returned to the Final Four in 2006 but once again Maccabi stood in its way, this time in the semifinal. The team also made it to the Spanish League finals, but was swept there.
Fernando Buesa Arena at night

The next season, Baskonia won its Euroleague regular season and Top 16 groups before sweeping Olympiacos in the Quarterfinal Playoffs as Scola became the Euroleague’s top all-time scorer (counting games played since the year 2000 only). Nonetheless, eventual champion Panathinaikos downed Baskonia in the semifinals and once home again in Spain, Baskonia lost in the playoff semifinals. Coming so close, but walking away without any trophies is sure to make Baskonia as hungry as ever going forward.

With a solid track record for building some of the most competitive teams in the world, it is safe to say that Baskonia is always a top candidate for Euroleague greatness.
[edit] Players
See also: Category:Saski Baskonia players
[edit] Roster
Saski Baskonia roster
v • d • e
Players Coaches
Pos. ↓ # ↓ Nat. ↓ Name ↓ Ht. ↓ Wt. ↓
5.0 C 42 Croatia Croatia Barać, Stanko 2.17 m (7 ft 1 in) 111 kg (245 lb)
4.0 PF 11 Israel Israel Eliyahu, Lior 2.07 m (6 ft 9 in) 102 kg (225 lb)
2.0 SG 23 Canada Canada English, Carl 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) 93 kg (205 lb)
3.0 SF 35 Argentina Argentina Herrmann, Wálter 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) 102 kg (225 lb)
1.0 PG 9 Brazil Brazil Huertas, Marcelinho 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) 84 kg (185 lb)
2.0 SG 6 USA United States Lofton, Chris 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) 91 kg (201 lb)
3.0 SF 5 Serbia Serbia Micov, Vladimir 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) 98 kg (216 lb)
2.0 SG 24 USA United States Oleson, Brad 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) 91 kg (201 lb)
1.0 PG 4 Spain Spain Ribas, Pau 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 84 kg (185 lb)
1.0 PG 10 PRI Puerto Rico Rodríguez, Andrés 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) 81 kg (179 lb)
3.0 SF 19 Spain Spain San Emeterio, Fernando 1.99 m (6 ft 6 in) 98 kg (216 lb)
5.0 C 21 Brazil Brazil Splitter, Tiago 2.12 m (6 ft 11 in) 111 kg (245 lb)
4.0 PF 12 BIH Bosnia and Herzegovina Teletović, Mirza 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) 111 kg (245 lb)


Head coach

* Montenegro Dusko Ivanovic

Assistant coach(es)

* Spain Ibon Navarro
* Spain David Gil

Legend

* (C) Team captain
* (*) Playing only in Euroleague
* (INJ) Injured

Roster • updated 2009-10-10


[edit] Depth Chart
Pos. Starter Bench Bench Reserve Inactive
C Tiago Splitter Stanko Barać
PF Lior Eliyahu Mirza Teletović
SF Wálter Herrmann Vladimir Micov Fernando San Emeterio
SG Carl English Brad Oleson Chris Lofton
PG Marcelinho Huertas Pau Ribas Andrés Rodríguez
[edit] Head coaches
Further information: Category:Saski Baskonia coaches
[edit] Honors
[edit] Trophies

* Spanish Championships: (2)
o 2002, 2008
* Spanish Cups: (6)
o 1995, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2009
* Saporta Cup: (1)
o 1996
* Spanish Supercups: (4)
o 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008

[edit] Individual awards

ACB Most Valuable Player

* Kenny Green – 1997
* Andrés Nocioni – 2004
* Luis Scola – 2005, 2007

ACB Rising Star

* Mirza Teletović – 2008

ACB Finals MVP

* Elmer Bennett – 2002
* Pete Mickeal – 2008

Spanish Cup MVP

* Velimir Perasović – 1994
* Pablo Laso – 1995
* Elmer Bennett – 1999
* Dejan Tomašević – 2002
* Pablo Prigioni – 2007
* Mirza Teletović – 2009

Supercup MVP

* Luis Scola – 2005
* Tiago Splitter – 2006, 2007
* Pablo Prigioni – 2008

ACB Three Point Shootout Champion

* Juan Espil – 1997
* Igor Rakočević – 2007


All-ACB First Team

* Andrés Nocioni – 2004
* Luis Scola – 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
* José Calderón – 2005
* Pablo Prigioni – 2006, 2007, 2009
* Igor Rakočević – 2009

All-Euroleague First Team

* Dejan Tomašević – 2002
* Arvydas Macijauskas – 2005
* Luis Scola – 2006, 2007
* Tiago Splitter – 2008
* Igor Rakočević – 2009

All-Euroleague Second Team

* Andrés Nocioni – 2003, 2004
* Luis Scola – 2005
* Pablo Prigioni – 2006, 2007
* Igor Rakočević – 2007
* Tiago Splitter – 2009

[edit] Notable players

* Spain José Calderón
* Spain Jorge Garbajosa
* Spain Mikel Cuadra
* Spain Xabier Davalillo
* Spain Vicente Lafuente
* Spain Pablo Laso
* Spain Alberto Ortega
* Spain Aitor Zárate
* Spain Carlos Cazorla
* United States Essie Hollis
* United States Scooter Barry
* United States Ryan Bowen
* United States Casey Jacobsen
* United States Travis Hansen
* United States Victor Alexander
* United States Jerome Allen
* United States J. J. Anderson
* United States Joe Arlauckas
* United States Ken Bannister
* United States Elmer Bennett
* United States Anthony Bonner
* United States Rickey Brown
* United States Lionel Chalmers
* United States Chris Corchiani
* United States Pat Durham
* United States Linton Johnson
* United States Randolph Keys
* United States Pete Mickeal
* United States Will McDonald



* United States Larry Micheaux
* United States Drew Nicholas
* United States Dan O'Sullivan
* United States Lou Roe
* United States Brent Scott
* United States James Singleton
* United States Matt Steigenga
* United States Nikita Wilson
* United States David Wood
* United States Rashard Griffith
* Republic of Ireland Pat Burke
* Argentina Luis Scola
* Argentina Andres Nocioni
* Argentina Fabricio Oberto
* Argentina Hugo Sconochini
* Argentina Rubén Wolkowyski
* Argentina Gabriel Fernández
* Argentina Pablo Prigioni
* Puerto Rico Carlos Arroyo
* Puerto Rico Ramón Rivas
* Italy Stefano Rusconi
* Bulgaria-Italy Georgi Glouchkov
* Montenegro Predrag Drobnjak
* Hungary Kornél Dávid
* Netherlands Geert Hammink
* Lithuania Arvydas Macijauskas
* Lithuania Saulius Štombergas
* Lithuania Mindaugas Timinskas



* Lithuania Simas Jasaitis
* Serbia Miroslav Berić
* Serbia Dejan Tomašević
* Serbia Igor Rakočević
* Finland Hanno Möttölä
* Croatia Velimir Perasović
* Croatia Zoran Planinić
* Croatia Roko Ukić
* Slovakia Richard Petruška
* Turkey Ender Arslan
* Turkey Serkan Erdoğan
* Turkey Kaya Peker
* United Kingdom Andrew Betts
* France Jim Bilba
* France Laurent Foirest
* France William Warren Phillips
* Greece Christos Harisis