Saski Baskonia

Saski Baskonia is a club from Spain, situated in Vitoria-Gasteiz, a city that has a population of almost 250.000. They are currently playing in one of the most beautiful stadiums in Spain, Fernando Buesa Arena, which will host the EuroLeague Final Four this season (2018/2019). It has a seating capacity of 15,504 people and it is used for every game, including ACB League or EuroLeague.

The coach of Baskonia is Velimir Perasovic and the captain is the Georgian Tornike Shengelia. However, when Shengelia was hurt, the team was lead by the veteran Marcelo Huertas. The other players on Baskonia’s roster are Ilimane Diop, Patricio Garino, Miguel Gonzalez, Jayson Grander, Darrun Hilliard, Matt Janning, Jalen Jones, Arturs Kurucs, Vincent Poirier, Tadas Sedekerskis, Shavon Shields, Luca Vildoza, and Johannes Voigtmann.

Although it was founded in 1959, Baskonia Saski didn’t emerge as a force until the last decade of the last century. In 1995, Baskonia, lead by Kenneth Anthony Green, won its first title, the Spanish Cup. Since then, the club managed to win Copa del Rey 5 more times, while they also won the Spanish League 3 times (2002, 2008, 2010). Baskonia never won the EuroLeague but they finished on the second place in 2001 and 2005.

Maybe the best period of the club was at the beginning of this millennium when the roster contained Elmer Bennett, Saulius Stombergas, Victor Alexander, Fabricio Oberto, and Luis Scola. Other notable players that have been with Baskonia are Jose Calderon, Jorge Garbajosa, Andres Nocioni, Pablo Prigioni, Tiago Splitter, Nemanja Bjelica, Goran Dragic, Joe Arlauckas, Mike James, Lamar Odom, etc.

At this moment, Saski Baskonia stands on the 8th place in EuroLeague, having a big chance to qualify into the playoffs. Also, they have a pretty good season in Spain, being on the 3rd place, only after Barcelona and Real Madrid.

David Istrate

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