Virtus Roma
| Virtus Roma 1960 | |
|---|---|
| Leagues | Serie B |
| Founded | 1960 2021 (refoundation) |
| History | Virtus Aurelia (1960–1972) Pallacanestro Virtus Roma (1972–2020) Virtus Roma 1960 (2021–present) |
| Arena | PalaLottomatica |
| Capacity | 11,200 |
| Location | Rome, Lazio, Italy |
| Team colors | Red, Yellow, Blue |
| President | Maurizio Zoffoli |
| Head coach | Alessandro Tonolli |
| Championships | 1 FIBA Intercontinental Cup 1 EuroLeague 2 FIBA Korać Cups 1 Italian League 1 Italian Supercup |
| Website | virtusroma1960.it |
|
| |
Virtus Roma 1960, commonly known as Virtus Roma, is an Italian professional basketball club based in Rome, Lazio. The club, named Pallacanestro Virtus Roma competed in the first division of Italian basketball, the LBA, for decades until 2020, when it failed. In 2021 the club was refounded.
It was formerly a major side in Europe, winning the 1983–84 FIBA European Champions Cup (EuroLeague), and at one time being one of only 13 clubs to hold a EuroLeague A license. However, its standing later waned, and Virtus became less competitive in both Europe and the domestic LBA - which it had won in 1983 – before being voluntarily relegated to the Italian second division in July 2015.
In December 2020, Virtus was dissolved after the club was declared bankrupt after months of financial struggles.
For past club sponsorship names, see sponsorship names.
History
[edit ]The club was formed by the merger of two Roman sides, San Saba and Gruppo Borgo Cavalleggeri, under the name Virtus Aurelia in the late 1960s, the founding date of San Saba, 1960, was kept as Virtus'. In 1972, Virtus Aurelia merged with GS Banco di Roma, the sporting wing of Banco di Roma, forming Pallacanestro Banco di Roma Virtus or simply Banco di Roma. The side reached the Italian second division in 1978, staying two years before moving up to the Italian top level LBA, in 1980.
This was the start of an extended stay in the first division, and success followed soon after, with the side winning the 1983 championship. Earning a place in the 1983–84 FIBA European Champions Cup (EuroLeague), Virtus went on to win the competition at its first try, with a Larry Wright led squad, that also had Clarence Kea, Renzo Tombolato, and Fulvio Polesello. Wright was decisive in the EuroLeague Final against FC Barcelona, scoring 27 points, as Roma overturned a 10-point halftime deficit to win the decider.[1] The next season, the Italian club won the 1984 FIBA Intercontinental Cup, after topping a group of international clubs in Brazil.[2] Roma also won the 1985–86 FIBA Korać Cup final against Mobilgirgi Caserta.
The club's next title was the 1991–92 FIBA Korać Cup, by which time Banco di Roma had been replaced as the club's sponsor by Il Messaggero. A squad comprising Dino Rađa, Rick Mahorn, Roberto Premier, and Andrea Niccolai downed Scavolini Pesaro in the two-legged final.[1] The next year, Virtus managed to reach the FIBA Korać Cup final again, but lost the game against Philips Milano. During the 2002–03 season, Carlton Myers led the team to a 25–9 record in the Serie A (LBA), as Roma reached the playoff's semifinals.[1] After adding Dejan Bodiroga as a player, and head coach Svetislav Pešić, in the 2005 off-season, Virtus reached the ULEB Cup (EuroCup) quarterfinals, the Serie A semifinals, and the Italian Cup final, that it lost in overtime.[1]
In the summer of 2011, the Italian club's EuroLeague A-license was suspended, after it finished in the bottom half of the Serie A.[3] The next year, it lost the license completely, after having the worst record among A license clubs. It lost its license to EA7 Emporio Armani Milano.[4]
In a strange twist, Virtus Roma then went on to have an excellent season, unexpectedly, by their own admission, reaching the Serie A finals, which would earn it the right to return to the EuroLeague. However, the club relinquished their rights, as they did not agree to some of the competition's requirements. In particular, paying rent for an arena with the minimum arena capacity. They thus earned a place in the second tier EuroCup instead.[5]
In July 2015, despite having satisfied the economic conditions to participate in the Italian top level LBA, the club's management asked to participate instead in the Italian second division Serie A2. The permission to do so was granted by the Italian Basketball Federation. The cited motive for the move to the lower division, was an insufficient budget to be competitive at the higher level, and the desire to restructure the club based on a youth policy.[6] [7] [8]
On April 23, 2019, after beating Legnano Knights by 83–88, Virtus Roma is proclaimed champion of the Serie A2, getting the direct promotion to the Serie A.[9] Virtu returns to the highest tier after an absence of four years.
Dissolution
[edit ]On December 9, 2020, the club withdrew from the Serie A due to financial difficulties and the inability to find a new investor.
Arenas
[edit ]
- Palazzetto dello Sport (seating capacity: 3,500): (1960–1983, 2000–2003, 2011–2018)
- PalaLottomatica: (seating capacity: 11,200): (1983–1999, 2003–2011, 2018–2020)
Virtus played at the 3,500 seating capacity Palazzetto dello Sport arena, until 1983. The club then played at the 11,200 seat PalaLottomatica arena, from 1983 to 2011, except between 2000 and 2003, when the arena was undergoing extensive renovation work.[10]
After the club down scaled its operations costs, due to reduced funds, Virtus found the operating costs of the PalaLottomatica to be prohibitive, and decided to avoid playing in the larger arena. So from 2011 to 2018, it returned to the Palazzetto dello Sport, even playing games there during the 2013 Italian LBA Finals.[11]
On June 9, 2018, Virtus Roma reached a new deal with All Events SpA, the operator of PalaLottomatica, to play at the arena during the Serie A2 2018–19 season.[12]
2020–21 roster
[edit ]This was the last roster that Roma had in the 2020–21 LBA season before the official withdrawal from the championship.
| Virtus Roma roster | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Updated: 10 December 2020 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.
The team would line up as in the shown below. Roma adopted a 6+6 format where a maximum of 6 foreign players along with 6 Italian or Italian grown players could be called for each game.
| Pos. | Starting 5 | Bench 1 | Bench 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | Dario Hunt | Riccardo Cervi | Ygor Biordi |
| PF | Chris Evans | Damir Hadžić | |
| SF | Jamil Wilson | Liam Farley | |
| SG | Anthony Beane | Luca Campogrande | |
| PG | Gerald Robinson | Tommaso Baldasso |
(colours: Italian or homegrown players; foreign players)
Honours
[edit ]
Total titles: 6
Domestic competitions
[edit ]- Runners-up (2): 1989–90, 2005–06
- Winners (1): 2000
European competitions
[edit ]- Winners (1): 1983–84
- FIBA Korać Cup (defunct)
- European Club Super Cup (semi-official, defunct)
- Runners-up (1): 1983
Worldwide competitions
[edit ]- Winners (1): 1984
Other competitions
[edit ]- Trofeo Ambrose
- Winners (1): 2009
The road to the European victories
[edit ]|
1983–84 FIBA European Champions Cup
|
1985–86 FIBA Korać Cup
|
1991–92 FIBA Korać Cup
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Season by season record
[edit ]The following table shows the records from the season 1977–78 in all competitions:
| Season | Tier | League | Pos. | Postseason | Italian Cup | Supercup | Europe | Worldwide | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977–78 | 3 | Serie B | 4 | Promoted | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1978–79 | 2 | Serie A2 | 5 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1979–80 | 2 | Serie A2 | 3 | Promoted | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1980–81 | 1 | Serie A | 10 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1981–82 | 1 | Serie A | 10 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1982–83 | 1 | Serie A | 1 | Champions | – | – | Korać Cup | Top 16 | – | – |
| 1983–84 | 1 | Serie A | 9 | – | Quarterfinalist | – | Euroleague | Champions | – | – |
| 1984–85 | 1 | Serie A | 1 | Quarterfinalist | Quarterfinalist | – | Euroleague | Top 6 | Intercontinental Cup | Champions |
| 1985–86 | 1 | Serie A | 10 | Quarterfinalist | Quarterfinalist | – | Korać Cup | Champions | Intercontinental Cup | 8 |
| 1986–87 | 1 | Serie A | 8 | Top 12 | Top 32 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1987–88 | 1 | Serie A | 10 | Quarterfinalist | Quarterfinalist | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1988–89 | 1 | Serie A | 12 | – | Top 32 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1989–90 | 1 | Serie A | 8 | Quarterfinalist | Finalist | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1990–91 | 1 | Serie A | 4 | Semifinalist | Top 16 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1991–92 | 1 | Serie A | 6 | Semifinalist | Quarterfinalist | – | Korać Cup | Champions | – | – |
| 1992–93 | 1 | Serie A | 12 | – | Top 16 | – | Korać Cup | Finalist | – | – |
| 1993–94 | 1 | Serie A | 15 | – | Top 32 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1994–95 | 1 | Serie A | 8 | Quarterfinalist | Quarterfinalist | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1995–96 | 1 | Serie A | 6 | Quarterfinalist | Quarterfinalist | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1996–97 | 1 | Serie A | 6 | Quarterfinalist | Quarterfinalist | – | Korać Cup | Quarterfinalist | – | – |
| 1997–98 | 1 | Serie A | 8 | Quarterfinalist | Quarterfinalist | – | Korać Cup | Semifinalist | – | – |
| 1998–99 | 1 | Serie A | 6 | Quarterfinalist | Quarterfinalist | – | Korać Cup | Top 16 | – | – |
| 1999–00 | 1 | Serie A | 6 | Top 14 | Quarterfinalist | – | Korać Cup | Quarterfinalist | – | – |
| 2000–01 | 1 | Serie A | 5 | Quarterfinalist | Semifinalist | Champions | – | – | – | – |
| 2001–02 | 1 | Serie A | 8 | Quarterfinalist | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2002–03 | 1 | Serie A | 2 | Semifinalist | Quarterfinalist | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2003–04 | 1 | Serie A | 7 | Quarterfinalist | Quarterfinalist | – | Euroleague | Regular season | – | – |
| 2004–05 | 1 | Serie A | 6 | Semifinalist | Semifinalist | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2005–06 | 1 | Serie A | 6 | Semifinalist | Quarterfinalist | – | Eurocup | Quarterfinalist | – | – |
| 2006–07 | 1 | Serie A | 4 | Semifinalist | Quarterfinalist | – | Euroleague | Top 16 | – | – |
| 2007–08 | 1 | Serie A | 2 | Finalist | Quarterfinalist | – | Euroleague | Top 16 | – | – |
| 2008–09 | 1 | Serie A | 2 | Quarterfinalist | Quarterfinalist | – | Euroleague | Top 16 | – | – |
| 2009–10 | 1 | Serie A | 7 | Semifinalist | – | – | Euroleague | Regular season | – | – |
| 2010–11 | 1 | Serie A | 9 | – | – | – | Euroleague | Top 16 | – | – |
| 2011–12 | 1 | Serie A | 13 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2012–13 | 1 | Serie A | 3 | Finalist | Semifinalist | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2013–14 | 1 | Serie A | 6 | Semifinalist | Quarterfinalist | – | Eurocup | Regular season | – | – |
| 2014–15 | 1 | Serie A | 10 | Demoted | – | – | Eurocup | Top 16 | – | – |
| 2015–16 | 2 | Serie A2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Notable players
[edit ]Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.
| Criteria |
|---|
|
To appear in this section a player must have either:
|
2010s
[edit ]- Bosnia and Herzegovina Nemanja Gordić 2 seasons: '10–'12
- Montenegro Vladimir Dašić 4 seasons: '10–'12'
- Italy Lorenzo D'Ercole
- Belgium Maxime De Zeeuw
- Nigeria Ndudi Ebi
- United States Austin Freeman
- Canada Melvin Ejim
- Croatia Rok Stipčević
- United States Kyle Gibson
2000s
[edit ]- Italy Luigi Datome 5 season: '08–'13
- Slovenia Sani Bečirović 1 season: '08–'09
- Slovenia Primož Brezec 1 season: '08–'09
- United States Brandon Jennings 1 season: '08–'09
- United States Allan Ray 2 seasons: '07–'09
- Argentina Roberto Gabini 3 seasons: '07–'09
- United States Erik Daniels 1 season: '07–'08
- Italy Gregor Fučka 1 season: '07–'08
- Croatia Roko Leni Ukić 1 season: '07–'08
- Iceland Jón Stefánsson 2 seasons: '06–'08
- Slovenia Erazem Lorbek 2 seasons: '06–'08
- Serbia Ognjen Aškrabić 1 season: '06–'07
- United States Mire Chatman 1 season: '06–'07
- Italy Roberto Chiacig 1 season: '06–'07
- United States David Hawkins 4 seasons: '05–'08
- Serbia Dejan Bodiroga 2 seasons: '05–'07
- North Macedonia Vlado Ilievski 2 seasons: '05–'07
- Nigeria Obinna Ekezie 1 season: '05–'06
- Belgium Thomas Van Den Spiegel 2 seasons: '04–'06
- United States Tyus Edney 1 season: '04–'05
- Italy Vincenzo Esposito 1/2 season: '04
- Czech Republic Luboš Bartoň 2 seasons: '03–'05
- United States Cory Alexander 1 season: '03–'04
- United States Keith McLeod 1 season: '03–'04
- Slovenia Marko Tušek 4 seasons: '02–'06'
- Italy Davide Bonora 3 seasons: '02–'05
- United States Horace Jenkins 1 season: '02–'03
- Puerto Rico Daniel Santiago 1 season: '02–'03
- United States Anthony Parker 1 season: '02–'03
- Italy Carlton Myers 3 seasons: '01–'04
- Italy Alex Righetti 7 seasons: '00–'07
- United States Ben Handlogten 1 season: '01–'02
- United States Jerome Allen 2 seasons: '00–'02
- United States Rod Sellers 1 season: '00–'01
- Argentina Juan Espil 1 season: '00–'01
1990s
[edit ]- United States Mike Iuzzolino 1 season: '99–'00
- United States Henry Williams 1 season: '99–'00
- United States Warren Kidd 2 seasons: '98–'00
- Italy Mario Boni 2 seasons: '97–'99
- Serbia Saša Obradović 2 seasons: '97–'99
- United States Bill Edwards 1 season: '97–'98
- Italy Walter Magnifico 1 season: '97–'98
- United States Ed Stokes 1 season: '96–'97
- Italy Davide Ancilotto 1 season: '96–'97
- United States Steve Henson 2 seasons: '95–'97
- Argentina Hugo Sconochini 3 seasons: '95–'96, '04–'06
- United States Tod Murphy 1 season: '95–'96
- United States Jeff Sanders 1 season: '94–'95
- United States Tanoka Beard 1 season: '93–'94
- United States Shelton Jones 1 season: '93–'94
- Italy Sandro Dell'Agnello 2 seasons: '92–'94
- United States Rick Mahorn 2 seasons: '91–'93
- Croatia Dino Rađa 3 seasons: '90–'93
- United States Michael Cooper 1 season: '90–'91
1980s
[edit ]- Italy Roberto Premier 5 seasons: '89–'94
- Italy Fausto Bargna 1 season: '89–'90
- United States Danny Ferry 1 season: '89–'90
- United States Brian Shaw 1 season: '89–'90
- Dominican Republic Josè Vargas 1 season: '88–'89
- Italy Emiliano Busca 10 seasons: '87–'90, '92–'99
- Italy Carlo Della Valle 2 seasons: '87–'89
- Italy Tiziano Lorenzon 5 seasons: '86–'91
- United States Mike Bantom 3 seasons: '86–'89
- United States George Gervin 1 season: '86–'87
- United States Jim Rowinski 2 seasons: circa '85–'88
- Canada Leo Rautins 1 season: '85–'86
- Italy Marco Solfrini 4 seasons: '82–'86
- United States Larry Wright 3 seasons: '82–'84, '87–'88
- United States Clarence Kea 2 seasons: '82–'84
- Italy Stefano Sbarra 6 seasons: '81–'87
- Italy Fulvio Polesello 8 seasons: '80–'88
- United States Ray Townsend 1 season: '84–'85
1970s
[edit ]- Italy Enrico Gilardi 8 seasons: '79–'87, '88–'90
- Italy Roberto Castellano 6 seasons: '78–'83, '89–'90
Head coaches
[edit ]
- Maurizio Polidori – 1972–73
- Francesco Della Penna – 1973–74
- Alessandro Lisotti – 1974–76
- Nello Paratore – 1976–81
- Giancarlo Asteo – 1981–82
- Paolo Di Fonzo – 1982
- Valerio Bianchini – 1982–85
- Mario De Sisti – 1985–86
- Giuseppe Guerrieri – 1986–88
- Giancarlo Primo – 1988–89
- Petar Skansi – 1989
- Valerio Bianchini – 1989–91
- Paolo Di Fonzo – 1991–92
- Franco Casalini – 1992–94
- Nevio Ciaralli – 1994
- Attilio Caja – 1994–99
- Valerio Bianchini – 1999
- Marco Calvani – 1999
- Cesare Pancotto – 1999–00
- Marco Calvani – 2000
- Attilio Caja – 2000–02
- Piero Bucchi – 2002–05
- Svetislav Pešić – 2005–06
- Jasmin Repeša – 2006–08
- Nando Gentile – 2008–09
- Matteo Boniciolli – 2009–11
- Sašo Filipovski – 2011
- Lino Lardo - 2011-12
- Marco Calvani - 2012-13
- Luca Dalmonte - 2013–present
Sponsorship names
[edit ]Throughout the years, due to sponsorship, the club has been known as:
- Virtus Aurelia (no sponsorship, 1960–61 until 1971–72)
- Banco di Roma (1972–73 until 1987–88)
- Phonola Roma (1988–89)
- Il Messaggero Roma (1989–90 until 1991–92)
- Virtus Roma (no sponsorship, 1992–93)
- Burghy Roma (1993–94)
- Teorematour Roma (1994–95)
- Nuova Tirrena Roma (1995–96)
- Telemarket Roma (1996–97)
- Calze Pompea Roma (1997–98 until 1998–99)
- Aeroporti di Roma Virtus (1999–00 until 2000–01)
- Würth Roma (2001–02)
- Lottomatica Roma (2002–03 until 2010–11)
- Acea Roma (2011–12 until 2015–16)
- UniCusano Roma (2016–17 until 2017–18)
- Virtus Roma (no sponsorship, 2018–19 to 2020–21)
References
[edit ]- ^ a b c d "Club profile: Virtus Rome". EuroCup Basketball . 13 September 2013. Archived from the original on July 21, 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
- ^ Stankovic, Vladimir (2 December 2013). "Larry Wright, the man with two rings". EuroLeague . Retrieved 17 July 2015.
- ^ "New teams proposed as 2011-12 Turkish Airlines Euroleague participants". EuroLeague . 30 June 2011. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
- ^ "Euroleague board awards two-year Turkish Airlines Euroleague license to EA7 Emporio Armani Milan". EuroLeague . 20 June 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
- ^ "Rome announces it will not play in Turkish Airlines Euroleague". EuroLeague . 21 June 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
- ^ Canfora, Mario (16 July 2015). "Basket, Serie A: Roma si retrocede in A-2. Caserta ripescata" [Basketball, Serie A: Roma relegates itself to A-2. Caserta retaken]. La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). Rome. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
- ^ "Consiglio federale a Roma. Barilla sponsor della maglia Azzurra, Ammissioni ai Campionati 2015-16, Prandi presidente CIA" [Federal council in Rome. Barilla sponsor of the blue shirt, 2015-16 championship admissions, Prandi CIA president]. Federazione Italiana Pallacanestro (in Italian). 17 July 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
- ^ "Basket: l'Acea Virtus riparte dai giovani e dal territorio" [Basketball: Acea Virtus starts again from youth and territory]. Pallacanestro Virtus Roma (in Italian). 16 July 2015. Archived from the original on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
- ^ "La Virtus Roma è in Serie A! Batte Legnano 83-88 e si laurea Campione" [Virtus Roma is in Serie A! Beats Legnano 83-88 and becomes Champion] (in Italian). Archived from the original on 2019年04月25日.
- ^ "Il Palazzetto dello Sport" [The Palazzetto dello Sport]. Pallacanestro Virtus Roma (in Italian). Archived from the original on 22 October 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
- ^ Corio, Paolo (14 June 2013). "Finali basket: perché Roma non vuole il PalaEUR" [Basketball finals: why doesn't Rome want the PalaEUR]. Panorama (in Italian). Retrieved 18 July 2015.
- ^ "Virtus Roma: accordo raggiunto, si torna al PalaLottomatica" [Virtus Roma: new agreement reached and will play at PalaLottomatica]. sportando.basketball (in Italian). 9 June 2018.
External links
[edit ]
- Serie A Historical Results (in Italian) Retrieved 18 July 2015
- Eurobasket.com Team Profile