Juventus (basketball club)
BC Juventus is a professional Lithuanian basketball club which currently plays in Lithuanian Basketball League and Baltic Basketball League. BC Juventus basketball club was founded in 1999–2000 season by football player Nerijus Kuzmickas and debuted in the Naujametinis Utenos rajono Mero taurės turnyras (Utena's new year's mayor's cup tournament), the debut season was successful and BC Juventus took bronze in that tournament. Word Juventus means youth. BC Juventus was called "Youth" (Juventus) because of the young, non-profesional players in their debut season. In the 2008–2009 season, BC Juventus team debuted in the Lithuania basketball super league LKL and took fourth place as they lost bronze final to Šiauliai. On 15 April 2011, Juventus basketball club was transferred from Baltic Basketball League Challenge Cup to Elite Division.[1]
Current roster
|
| Players |
Coaches |
| Pos. |
# |
Nat. |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Age |
| 2.0 !SG |
4 |
Lithuania ! |
Braziunas, Aras |
1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) |
75 kg (165 lb) |
&1000000000000001800000018 |
| 1.0 !PG |
5 |
Lithuania ! |
Maceina, Gediminas |
1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) |
83 kg (183 lb) |
&1000000000000002700000027 |
| 3.0 !SF |
8 |
Lithuania ! |
Urbonas, Žydrūnas |
1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) |
98 kg (216 lb) |
&1000000000000003500000035 |
| 1.0 !PG |
9 |
Lithuania ! |
Pociukonis, Marius |
1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) |
80 kg (176 lb) |
&1000000000000002900000029 |
| 2.0 !SG |
10 |
Lithuania ! |
Matulis, Gintautas |
1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) |
95 kg (209 lb) |
&1000000000000002500000025 |
| 6.0 !C |
11 |
Lithuania ! |
Šležas, Tautvydas |
2.07 m (6 ft 9 in) |
110 kg (243 lb) |
&1000000000000002100000021 |
| 3.0 !SF |
12 |
Lithuania ! |
Vilimas, Mantas |
1.97 m (6 ft 6 in) |
86 kg (190 lb) |
&1000000000000002200000022 |
| 2.0 !SG |
13 |
Lithuania ! |
Pakamanis, Darius |
1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) |
88 kg (194 lb) |
&1000000000000003000000030 |
| 6.0 !C |
15 |
Lithuania ! |
Petrukonis, Karolis |
2.12 m (6 ft 11 in) |
115 kg (254 lb) |
&1000000000000002400000024 |
| 3.0 !SF |
22 |
Lithuania ! |
Vasiliauskas, Arūnas |
2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) |
100 kg (220 lb) |
&1000000000000002600000026 |
| 2.0 !SG |
30 |
Lithuania ! |
Šeštokas, Žygimantas |
1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) |
86 kg (190 lb) |
&1000000000000002500000025 |
| 4.5 !PF |
33 |
Lithuania ! |
Volkus, Vaidotas |
2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) |
95 kg (209 lb) |
&1000000000000002600000026 |
|
- Head coach
- Assistant coach(es)
- Legend
Roster
Updated: 2011-06-01
|
Season by season
| Season |
League |
Pos. |
Significant Events |
Baltic League |
Pos. |
LKF Cup |
| 2003–04 |
LKBL |
6 |
– |
– |
– |
– |
| 2004–05 |
LKBL |
1 |
Champions |
– |
– |
– |
| 2005–06 |
RKL |
3 |
Bronze medal |
– |
– |
– |
| 2006–07 |
RKL |
1 |
Promoted |
– |
– |
– |
| 2007–08 |
NKL |
4 |
Semifinalist |
– |
– |
– |
| 2008–09 |
NKL |
4 |
Semifinalist |
– |
– |
Fourth round |
| 2009–10 |
LKL |
4 |
Semifinalist |
Challenge Cup |
5 |
First round |
| 2010–11 |
LKL |
4 |
Semifinalist |
Challenge Cup |
1 |
Second round |
| 2011–12 |
LKL |
|
|
Elite Division |
|
Second round |
Club history
2000–2007: foundation and participation in RKL
- Juventus basketball club was founded in 1999 and debuted in Naujametinis Utenos rajono Mero taurės turnyras (Utena's new year's mayor's cup tournament) and took third place. First team roster consisted of other sports players: football players and one handball player. First team captain, which also founded Juventus basketball team was football player Nerijus Kuzmickas (played in Kauno Inkaras team), now Šiauliai football academy, child and teenage coach. In debut Juventus season also played: Egidijus Varnas (Panevėžio Ekranas), Tomas Keraitis, Tomas Karvelis and other.
- In 2003–2004 season, Juventus basketball team was coached by Rimvydas Vaitkus. Juventus debuted in Lithuania basketball B league and in their debut season, BC Juventus took sixth place.
- After year, in 2004–2005 season, Juventus basketball team was coached by Mindaugas Kildišius. Juventus basketball team first time in the club history won LKBL championship (same like RKL) and won right to participate in the LKAL championship (same like NKL). But because of various bureaucracy barriers, Juventus basketball team wasn't permitted to debut in the second-tier Lithuania basketball league.
- During 2005–2006 season, BC Juventus took third place in RKL tournament.
- After year, in 2006–2007 season Juventus basketball team won RKL championship once again and in transition match to the NKL championship, BC Juventus won against Kauno LKKA-Atletas basketball team. But this was't end for Juventus in the 2006–2007 season as BC Juventus went until third Lithuania basketball federation (LKF) stage and only there, after two unremitting matches lost to Klaipėdos Neptūnas. Same year, team coach Mindaugas Kildišius, was named the best RKL championship coach.
2007–2009: NKL
- In 2007–2008 season Utena's basketball team debuted in the NKL championship and won regular season (25 wins and 7 loses), however in the final standings BC Juventus took only fourth place. In the end of 2007, Juventus guard Raimondas Ambrulaitis was named "Lithuania basketball discovery of the year", team coach Mindaugas Kildišius was named the best 2007–2008 NKL season coach.
- After year, in 2008–2009 season, Juventus basketball team won NKL regular season once again and participated in NKL championship semi-finals. In 2009, Juventus wasn't able to participate in the NKL finals, because of that team coach Mindaugas Kildišius retired from his position. Also because of that, Mindaugas Kildišius assistant Rolandas Urkis coached Juventus basketball team until the end of the season.[2] On 15 June 2009 LKF decided to let Juventus basketball team participate in the Lithuania super basketball league LKL because of the commercial principles.[3] For the permission to participate in the LKL, „Juventus“ basketball team had to pay 350 thousand LTL.[4]
2009–present: LKL
- On 20 August 2009 Gintaras Kručkauskas became main Juventus basketball team coach.[5] The 2009–2010 LKL season was the most successful in the club history as Juventus basketball team took fourth place in the LKL championship.[6]
- On 7 July 2010 Robertas Giedraitis became main BC Juventus coach.[7]
- During 2010–2011 season, BC Juventus first time in the club history became Baltic Basketball League Challenge Cup champions.[8] Also BC „Juventus“ made a huge surprise as they eliminated 7-time LKL Bronze streaker Šiauliai in the first round of LKL playoffs (first game: 105:94,[9] second game: 91:81[10]). After eliminating Šiauliai in quarter-final, BC Juventus reached LKL semi finals and met Lithuania basketball powerhouse Žalgiris. On 27 April 2011 BC Juventus lost first game at Kaunas Sports Hall against Žalgiris with result 63–95,[11] the second match took place on 29 April 2011 in Utena. Juventus lost the second game too and had to fight for LKL Bronze against Rūdupis.[12] Juventus lost first Bronze game at Prienai with result 65–79,[13] the second game was unsuccessful for Juventus too as they lost it in their home arena in Utena with result 73–98.[14] The third game took place in Prienai, which Juventus team lost with result 83–84,[15] because of that they lost Bronze series 0–3 against Rūdupis and took fourth place in LKL championship that season.
Club name changes
Previous seasons rosters
Team roster of 2009–2010 season
| Nr. |
Name, second name |
Position |
Height |
Weight |
Date of birth |
Previous club |
| 10 |
Gintautas Matulis |
3 Small Forward |
195 cm |
095 kg |
December 6, 1986(1986-12-06) |
„Juventus“ |
| 4 |
Darius Pakamanis |
2 Shooting Guard |
192 cm |
080 kg |
September 8, 1981(1981-09-08) |
„Šiauliai“ |
| 8 |
Žydrūnas Urbonas |
3 Small Forward |
198 cm |
100 kg |
October 4, 1976(1976-10-04) |
„Alytus“ |
| 7 |
Audrius Mineikis |
4 Power Forward |
201 cm |
098 kg |
July 18, 1977(1977-07-18) |
„Juventus“ |
| 11 |
Tomas Jasiulionis |
5 Center |
208 cm |
115 kg |
January 11, 1986(1986-01-11) |
St. John's |
| 21 |
Paulius Morkeliūnas |
4 Power Forward |
201 cm |
105 kg |
January 22, 1985(1985-01-22) |
„Neptūnas“ |
| 22 |
Arūnas Vasiliauskas |
4 Power Forward |
200 cm |
105 kg |
March 22, 1985(1985-03-22) |
„Aisčiai“ |
| 31 |
Jonas Elvikis |
3 Small Forward |
195 cm |
092 kg |
July 9, 1982(1982-07-09) |
„Sumychimprom“ |
| 14 |
Šarūnas Vėlius |
4 Power Forward |
207 cm |
102 kg |
June 11, 1983(1983-06-11) |
„Kaunas TRIOBET“ |
| 5 |
Nikoloz Vashakidze |
1 Point Guard |
192 cm |
088 kg |
June 14, 1985(1985-06-14) |
„Abro Universitetas“ |
| 15 |
Virginijus Praškevičius |
5 Center |
206 cm |
112 kg |
March 4, 1974(1974-03-04) |
„Šiauliai“ |
| 13 |
Tomas Gaidamavičius |
1 Point Guard |
192 cm |
86 kg |
July 19, 1982(1982-07-19) |
„Synthesia“ |
- Coaches
- Players which left „Juventus“ during the season
- Žilvinas Kuklierius
- Mohamed Seck
Team roster of 2010–2011 season
| Nr. |
Name, Second Name |
Position |
Height |
Weight |
Date of birth |
Previous club |
| 3 |
Žygimantas Šeštokas |
2 Shooting Guard |
196 cm |
88 kg |
March 30, 1986(1986-03-30) |
„Meresta“ |
| 5 |
Gediminas Maceina |
1 Point Guard |
188 cm |
88 kg |
August 28, 1984(1984-08-28) |
„Techasas“ |
| 8 |
Žydrūnas Urbonas |
3, 4 Small Forward, Power Forward |
198 cm |
100 kg |
October 4, 1976(1976-10-04) |
„Juventus“ |
| 9 |
Marius Pociukonis |
1, 2 Point Guard, Shooting Guard |
189 cm |
80 kg |
April 1, 1982(1982-04-01) |
„Mureš“ |
| 10 |
Gintautas Matulis |
2, 3 Shooting Guard, Small Forward |
195 cm |
95 kg |
December 6, 1986(1986-12-06) |
„Juventus“ |
| 11 |
Vaidas Čepukaitis |
4, 5 Power Forward, Center |
207 cm |
104 kg |
May 16, 1989(1989-05-16) |
„Žalgiris-Sabonio mokykla“ |
| 12 |
Tomas Markevičius |
3 Small Forward |
192 cm |
86 kg |
June 29, 1985(1985-06-29) |
„Juventus KKSC“ |
| 14 |
Aurimas Adomaitis |
4, 5 Power Forward, Center |
203 cm |
96 kg |
April 5, 1987(1987-04-05) |
„Alytus“ |
| 17 |
Jonas Elvikis |
2, 3 Shooting Guard, Small Forward |
195 cm |
92 kg |
July 9, 1982(1982-07-09) |
„Juventus“ |
| 22 |
Arūnas Vasiliauskas |
3, 4 Small Forward, Power Forward |
200 cm |
105 kg |
March 22, 1985(1985-03-22) |
„Juventus“ |
| 24 |
Marius Prekevičius |
1, 2 Point Guard Shooting Guard |
195 cm |
90 kg |
May 22, 1984(1984-05-22) |
„Šiauliai“ |
| 25 |
Aurimas Kieža |
3, 4 Small Forward, Power Forward |
203 cm |
97 kg |
October 25, 1982(1982-10-25) |
„Pallacanestro“ |
- Coaches
- Players which left „Juventus“ during the season
- Ignas Šijanas (until 2010.11.16)
- Tomas Jasiulionis (until 2010.11.19)
- Juozas Ramanauskas (until 2010.11.19)
Team roster of 2011–2012 season
- Coaches
Notable players
External links
References