BC Kalev/Cramo

Kalev/Cramo
Leagues	Korvpalli Meistriliiga VTB United League Baltic Basketball League
Founded	1998 (1998)
History	Canon ENM (1998–1999) Ehitustööriist (1999–2005) BC Kalev/Cramo (2005–present)
Arena	Saku Suurhall
Arena Capacity	7,200
Location	Tallinn, Estonia
Team colors	Blue, White
President	Ivar Valdmaa
Head coach	Alar Varrak
Championships	9 Estonian Championships 6 Estonian Cups
Website	www.bckalev.ee
Uniforms
Home Away

BC Kalev/Cramo is a professional basketball club based in Tallinn, Estonia. They play in the Korvpalli Meistriliiga (KML), Baltic Basketball League (BBL) and VTB United League. Their home arena is the Saku Suurhall.

Kalev/Cramo have won 9 Estonian Championships and 6 Estonian Cups.

History

Early years (1998–2005)

BC Kalev is one of several Baltic basketball teams originally sponsored by international financier and emerging markets entrpreneur, Raymond Staples. The club started out as Canon ENM. Coached by Allan Dorbek the team joined top-tier Korvpalli Meistriliiga (KML) for the 1998–99 season. The club's first season was a disappointment, as the team finished in last place without winning a single game. In 1999, the team was renamed Ehitustööriist. The team's results improved slowly as Ehitustööriist finished the league in 7th place for four consecutive seasons. In 2003, the club merged with Audentes and became Ehitustööriist/Audentes, while the former Estonia national team coach Maarten van Gent was hired as head coach. The team finished the 2003–04 season in 5th place. After the season, Ehitustööriist/Audentes dissolved and both clubs continued separately.^[1]

In 2004, Ehitustööriist moved to the new 7,200-seat Saku Suurhall. The team finished the 2004–05 regular season with a 12–4 record and dominant in the playoffs. In the finals, they faced TÜ/Rock. Ehitustööriist won the series and the team's first Estonian Championship 4 games to 3. Howard Frier was named Most Valuable Player of the season.^[1] The team also competed in the regional Baltic Basketball League for the first time, finishing in 7th place with a 8–10 record.

BC Kalev/Cramo (2005–present)

Coming off their first Estonian Championship, Ehitustööriist leased the trademark "Kalev" from AS Kalev and became BC Kalev/Cramo.^[1][2] Allan Dorbek was replaced as head coach by former Estonia national team shooting guard Aivar Kuusmaa for the 2005–06 season. On 2 October 2005, the team won their first Estonian Cup, defeating TÜ/Rock 70–64 in the final. Kalev/Cramo also made their debut in Europe, entering the 2005–06 season of the FIBA EuroCup but failed to advance past the group stage with just one victory in 6 games.^[3] In the KML, Kalev/Cramo finished the regular season in first place with a 21–3 record and reached the finals in the playoffs. The team defended their title, defeating TÜ/Rock 4 games to 3, winning the deciding seventh game 69–68. James Williams was named Finals MVP and Kuusmaa won the Coach of the Year award. Despite that, Kuusmaa was replaced by Veselin Matić for the 2006–07 season.

Valmo Kriisa (left), and Kristjan Kangur (right) have both been named Estonian Player of the Year while playing for Kalev/Cramo.

The team won their second Estonian Cup in 2006, but was unable to defend the title. Kalev/Cramo reached the finals but lost the series 2–4 to TÜ/Rock. Despite losing in the finals, Valmo Kriisa won the Estonian Player of the Year award, while Travis Reed was named KML and BBL MVP and Matić won the Coach of the Year award.^[1] Kalev/Cramo saw limited success in Europe, reaching the second round in the 2006–07 FIBA EuroCup and competing in the European second tier 2007–08 ULEB Cup, but a record of 3–7 wasn't enough to advance past the group stage. The team won another Estonian Cup in 2007 and reached the finals in the 2007–08 season, but were swept by TÜ/Rock.

In 2008, New Zealand national team coach Nenad Vučinić replaced Matić as head coach. Kalev/Cramo won their fourth consecutive Estonian Cup in 2008. The team finished the 2008–09 regular season in second place. In the semifinals, Kalev/Cramo easily dispatched TTÜ in three games to reach the finals. In the finals, the team defeated TÜ/Rock 4 games to 2 and captured their third title. Forward Kristjan Kangur was named Finals MVP and the Estonian Player of the Year. In 2009, the team joined the newly established VTB United League.^[1] In December 2009, Vučinić left Kalev/Cramo. The team struggled in the 2009–10 season and finished the regular season in fourth place with a 19–9 record under the former assistant coach Alar Varrak. The team lost in the semifinals to TÜ/Rock but won the bronze medals in the third place games, winning the series in two games against TTÜ.

Gregor Arbet has been named to the All-KML Team a record 5 times, 4 while playing for Kalev/Cramo.

In July 2010, Aivar Kuusmaa returned to Kalev/Cramo. Led by Gregor Arbet and Armands Šķēle, the team finished the 2010–11 regular season in first place. In the playoffs, Kalev/Cramo swept Rakvere Tarvas in the semifinals 3–0 and TÜ/Rock in the finals 4–0. Šķēle was named Finals MVP and Kuusmaa won his second Coach of the Year award. Led by star players Gregor Arbet, Bamba Fall and Tanel Sokk, Kalev/Cramo defended their title in the 2011–12 season, defeating Tartu Ülikool in the finals in a four-game sweep. Sokk was named Finals MVP and Kuusmaa once again won the Coach of the Year award.^[1]

Kalev/Cramo struggled early in the 2012–13 season and after a 69–95 defeat to Rakvere Tarvas on 22 November 2012, Kuusmaa was sacked, with assistant coach Alar Varrak taking over the coaching reins.^[4] Despite the poor start, Kalev/Cramo finished the regular season in first place and swept the playoffs. Kalev/Cramo won their 6th Estonian Championship as Tanel Sokk claimed his second straight Finals MVP award. Alar Varrak was named Coach of the Year. The team also placed third in the 2012–13 Baltic Basketball League. With star players Gregor Arbet and Frank Elegar and the additions of Vlad Moldoveanu and Rain Veideman, the team's success continued in the 2013–14 season. Kalev/Cramo once again finished the regular season in first place and was undefeated in the playoffs. Kalev/Cramo won their fourth consecutive Estonian Championship, while Moldoveanu was named Finals MVP and Varrak won his second Coach of the Year award. The team finished the 2014–15 regular season in second place. Kalev/Cramo swept TTÜ in the quarterfinals and Rapla in the semifinals. In the finals, Kalev/Cramo once again faced TÜ/Rock, but lost the series 1–4. On 20 December 2015, Kalev/Cramo won their fifth Estonian Cup, defeating TÜ/Rock 73–55 in the final. Kalev/Cramo finished the 2015–16 season regular season in first place and undefeated. The team extended their winning streak in the quarter- and semifinals. In the finals, the team faced TÜ/Rock and won the series 4 games to 1, the single loss being the team's only defeat in the season. Rolands Freimanis was named Finals MVP.^[5][6] Kalev/Cramo defended their title in the 2016–17 season, facing Rapla in the finals and winning the series 4 games to 0. Branko Mirković was named Finals MVP.

Sponsorship naming

The team has had several denominations through the years due to its sponsorship. In 2005, the team leased the trademark "Kalev" from AS Kalev and became BC Kalev/Cramo.^[1]

• Canon ENM: 1998–1999
• Ehitustööriist: 1999–2001
• Ehitustööriist/Kalev: 2001–2003
• Ehitustööriist/Audentes: 2003–2004
• Ehitustööriist: 2004–2005
• BC Kalev/Cramo: 2005–present

Home arenas

Saku Suurhall is the home arena of Kalev/Cramo since 2004.

• Kalev Sports Hall (1998–2002)
• Valtu Sports Hall (2002–2003)
• Audentes Sports Center (2003–2004)
• Saku Suurhall (2004–present)

Players

Current roster

Kalev/Cramo roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. # Nat. Name Ht. Wt. Age 1.0 !PG 5 EST ! Sokk, Sten 7000184000000000000♠1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) 7001800000000000000♠80 kg (176 lb) 7001280000000000000♠28 – (1989-02-14)14 February 1989 4.0 !PF 9 EST ! Tass, Matthias 7000208000000000000♠2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) 7001990000000000000♠99 kg (218 lb) 7001180000000000000♠18 – (1999-03-23)23 March 1999 5.0 !C 12 USA ! Simmons, Cedric 7000206000000000000♠2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) 7002107000000000000♠107 kg (236 lb) 7001310000000000000♠31 – (1986-01-03)3 January 1986 3.0 !SF 13 EST ! Arbet, Gregor (C) 7000196000000000000♠1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) 7001900000000000000♠90 kg (198 lb) 7001340000000000000♠34 – (1983-06-19)19 June 1983 1.0 !PG 18 BUL ! Mirković, Branko 7000190000000000000♠1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) 7001850000000000000♠85 kg (187 lb) 7001340000000000000♠34 – (1982-10-05)5 October 1982 1.0 !PG 21 EST ! Dorbek, Martin 7000194000000000000♠1.94 m (6 ft 4 in) 7001850000000000000♠85 kg (187 lb) 7001260000000000000♠26 – (1991-01-21)21 January 1991 3.0 !SF 31 EST ! Keedus, Erik 7000198000000000000♠1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 7001920000000000000♠92 kg (203 lb) 7001270000000000000♠27 – (1990-04-27)27 April 1990 3.0 !SF EST ! Jõesaar, Janari 7000198000000000000♠1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 7001940000000000000♠94 kg (207 lb) 7001230000000000000♠23 – (1993-12-08)8 December 1993 5.0 !C NED ! van der Mars, Thomas 7000208000000000000♠2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) 7002107000000000000♠107 kg (236 lb) 7001260000000000000♠26 – (1990-11-15)15 November 1990 4.0 !PF MNE ! Subotić, Bojan 7000202999999999999♠2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) 7002101000000000000♠101 kg (223 lb) 7001260000000000000♠26 – (1990-12-17)17 December 1990	Head coach Alar Varrak Assistant coach(es) Martin Müürsepp Indrek Reinbok Legend (C) Team captain Injured Roster Updated: 9 August 2017

Depth Chart

Coaches

Season by season

Trophies and awards

Trophies

Estonian Championship

• Winners (9): 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2016–17
• Runners-up (3): 2006–07, 2007–08, 2014–15

Estonian Cup

• Winners (6): 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2015, 2016
• Runners-up (3): 2009, 2011, 2013

Individual awards

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to BC Kalev/Cramo.

• Official website
• BC Kalev/Cramo at basket.ee (in Estonian)