Clubul Sportiv Municipal Târgu Mureș, commonly known as CSM Târgu Mureș, is a Romanian basketball club based in Târgu Mureș, which currently participates in the Liga Națională, the top-tier league in Romania.[1] The team represents the basketball men's section of CSM Târgu Mureș, a multi-sports club, founded in 2017 by the decision of the local council of Târgu Mureș, in order to reinvigorate the sport from the city, which was in crisis at that time.[2][3] The basketball men's section was born in the summer of 2018, following the dissolution of BC Mureș in March.[4][5]
The merger between the Liga Națională (the top tier of Romanian basketball) and Liga I (the second tier) after the 2017-18 season meant that CSM Târgu Mureș was going to start its existence directly in the top flight.[6] A lot of the players that were playing with BC Mureș the previous season joined the club, while George Trif was appointed head coach.[7] CSM Târgu Mureș finished the 2018-19 season in eleventh, way clear of the relegation zone,[8] but financial difficulties within the club meant that they chose to withdraw from the Liga Națională for the 2019-20 season and enter the second tier.[9] While the financial irregularities were resolved in December 2021,[10] the team had a dominant 2021-22 season on the court, losing only once all season in order to be promoted back to the top tier.[11][12]Mureșenii had a difficult start to the new campaign, which included five losses in six games in November, ultimately failing to qualify for the Championship round.[13] A string of wins during the later stages of the campaign meant that CSM finished the 2022-23 season in eleventh once again.[14]
