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Virtus Roma

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Pallacanestro Virtus Roma
Pallacanestro Virtus Roma logo
LeaguesSerie A2
Founded1960; 64 years ago (1960)
HistoryVirtus Aurelia
(1960–1972)
Pallacanestro Virtus Roma
(1972–present)
ArenaPalaLottomatica
Capacity11,200
LocationRome, Lazio, Italy
Team colorsRed, Yellow, Blue
     
PresidentClaudio Toti
Head coachMarco Calvani
Championships1 Italian League
1 Italian Supercup
1 FIBA European Champions Cup
2 FIBA Korać Cup
1 FIBA Intercontinental Cup
Websitevirtusroma.it

Pallacanestro Virtus Roma, known for sponsorship reasons as UniCusano Roma, is an Italian professional basketball club based in Rome, Lazio. It plays in the Italian second division from the 2015-16 season.

It was formerly a major side in Europe, winning the 1983–84 FIBA European Champions Cup and 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 Serie A - which it had won in 1983 - before voluntaraily relegating to the second division in July 2015.

For past club sponsorship names, see sponsorship names.

History

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. The side reached the second division in 1978, staying two years before moving up to the Serie A 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, 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 final against FC Barcelona, scoring 27 points as Roma overturned a halftime 10-point deficit to win the decider.[1] The next season, the Italians added the 1984 FIBA Intercontinental Cup after topping a group of international clubs in Brazil.[2] Roma also won the 1985–86 FIBA Korać Cup 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 a 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 title by Philips Milano.

Fans of Roma in PalaLottomatica

During the 2002-03 season, Carlton Myers led the team to a 25-9 record in Serie A as Roma reached the playoff semifinals.[1] After adding Dejan Bodiroga and head coach Svetislav Pešić in the 2005 off-season, Virtus reached the ULEB Cup 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 was replaced by 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 answer some of the competition's requirements (in particular minimum arena capacity), earning a place in the second tier Eurocup instead.[5]

In July 2015, despite having satisfied the economic conditions to participate in Serie A, the management asked to participate in the second division Serie A2 instead, the permission was granted by the Federation. The cited motives for the move was an insufficient budget to be competitive at the higher level and the desire to structure the club on a youth policy.[6][7][8]

Arena

Virtus plays at the Palazzetto dello Sport (capacity:3,500) since the 2011-12 season. It had previously played there until 1983, moving into the PalaLottomatica (capacity:11,200), where it stayed until 2011, except between 2000 and 2003 for renovation work.[9] Since downscaling operations due to reduced funds, Virtus has found the operating costs of the PalaLottomatica prohibitive and has avoided playing in the larger arena, even during the 2013 finals.[10]

In June 9, 2018, Virtus Roma reached a new deal with All Events SpA, PalaLottomatica operator, to play 2018-19 Serie A2 season there.[11]

Roster

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

Pallacanestro Virtus Roma roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name
F 3 Italy Gabriele Benetti
G 9 Italy Giuliano Maresca
G 20 Denmark Alan Voskuil
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Injured Injured
Updated: August 18, 2016

Honours

Banners of Virtus Roma

Total titles: 6

Domestic competitions

Winners (1): 1982–83
Runners-up (2): 2007–08, 2012–13
Runners-up (2): 1989–90, 2005–06
Winners (1): 2000

European competitions

Winners (1): 1983–84
Winners (2): 1985–86, 1991–92
Runners-up (1): 1992–93
Semifinalists (1): 1997–98
Runners-up (1): 1983

Worldwide competitions

Winners (1): 1984

The road to the European victories

Main article: Pallacanestro Virtus Roma in European and worldwide competitions

Season by season record

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

2010s

2000s

1990s

1980s

1970s

Coaches

Coach Jasmin Repeša and his players during a timeout during the 2005-06 season.
  • 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

Sponsorship names

Throughout the years, due to sponsorship, the club has been known as:

  • Virtus Aurelia (no sponsorship, 1960–61 until 1971–72)
  • Banco di Roma Virtus (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 to present)

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Club profile: Virtus Rome". Eurocup Basketball. 13 September 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  2. ^ Stankovic, Vladimir (2 December 2013). "Larry Wright, the man with two rings". Euroleague. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  3. ^ "New teams proposed as 2011-12 Turkish Airlines Euroleague participants". Euroleague. 30 June 2011. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  4. ^ "Euroleague board awards two-year Turkish Airlines Euroleague license to EA7 Emporio Armani Milan". Euroleague. 20 June 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  5. ^ "Rome announces it will not play in Turkish Airlines Euroleague". Euroleague. 21 June 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ "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.
  8. ^ "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. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  9. ^ "Il Palazzetto dello Sport" [The Palazzetto dello Sport]. Pallacanestro Virtus Roma (in Italian). Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  10. ^ Corio, Paolo (14 June 2013). "Finali basket: perché Roma non vuole il PalaEUR" [Basketball finals: why doesn't Rome want the PalaEUR]. Panorama (magazine) (in Italian). Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  11. ^ "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.
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