The history of Basketball club "Ventspils"

Season 1995 / 1996:
3rd place in the Latvian championship.

Season 1996 / 1997:
Basketball team doesn’t get any medals, and finishes the season in 4th place.

Season 1997 / 1998:
BC „Ventspils” is coached by Armands Kraulins, and the practices are held in the freshly finished and new Basketball hall of the Olympic centre „Ventspils”. Ventspils loses just the fight for the Latvian champion’s title and finishes second that year. Durin this season the team also participated in the international tournament „Korac Cup”, made into the best Last 16 but dropped out of the further competition.

Season 1998 / 1999:
The 1st international basketball tournament „Ventspils Naftas Cup ‘98” is held in Ventspils. In the Latvian championship BC „Ventspils” should again put up with the 2nd place. During this season team plays in the „Saportas” cup contest 1/8-finals, as well takes part in the NEBL’s (North European Basketball League) advertising cup contest.

Season 1999 / 2000:
BC „Ventspils” is Latvian champion for the first time! The team makes it just to the 1/16-finals of the „Saportas” cup contest but in the NEBL goes until the quarterfinals, and, unfortunately, the NEBL’s „Final Four” stays unreached.

Season 2000 / 2001:
BC „Ventspils” is the Latvian champion for the second consecutive year after winning a very fierce final game. The season as defending champions is very difficult and emotionally very important. The club takes part in the NEBL’s tournament.

Season 2001 / 2002:
BC „Ventspils”’s coach now is it’s former player Karlis Muizieks, and Ventspils is crowned as the Latvian champion for the third consecutive year and receive gold medals. This is a successful season because Ventspils reaches the „Final Four” of the NEBL’ tournament and takes the high third place.

Season 2002 / 2003:
„Ventspils” team is the Latvian champion for the fourth time. In the international tournament FIBA Champion’s Cup our team makes it to the „Final Four” beforehand beating strong European basketball clubs. In the final tournament BC „Ventspils” take the high third place that is the best achievement by a Latvian basketball club since 1960. Thus BC ”Ventspils” opened a new page in the basketball history of independent Latvia.

Season 2003 / 2004:
Ventspils become the Latvian champion for the fifth time.
In prestige ULEB Cup’s tournament Ventspils reaches 1/8-finals and drop out of the further competition.
The roster of the team: #4 Jevgenijs Kosuskins, #5 Aigars Vitols, #9 Ivars Timermanis, #10 Zlatko Savovic, #11 Kristaps Purnis, #12 Martins Skirmants, #15 Arnis Vecvagars, #17 Ugis Vilums, #32 Mire Chatman, #41 Kestutis Sestokas, #7 Delvon Monroe Arrington, #52 Bruno Pētersons, #14 Casey Shaw and Daniel McClintock. The head coach is Karlis Muiznieks.

Season 2004 / 2005:
BC „Ventspils” becomes six-time Latvian champion in basketball! In the first Baltic Basketball league’s championship the regular season is finished in the third place but during the „Final Four” competition in Vilnius our team takes the 4th place. The basketball club proved itself successfully also in the European basketball competition ULEB Cup where our team dropped out of the tournament just in the quarterfinals.

Season 2005 / 2006:
For the second consecutive season BC „Ventspils” play against BC „Barons” in the finals and win the series 4:0, thus becoming the seven-time Latvian champion. The regular season of the Baltic Basketball league’s championship is finished in the 3rd place but during „Final Six” in Tallinn take just the 5th place. Also this ULEB cup contest’s season is not that successful for BC „Ventspils” as it drops out of the tournament in the 1/8-finals.

Season 2006 / 2007:
After seven year domination in the Latvian championship the basketball club „Ventspils” should put up with the title of the vice-champion. The regular season of the Baltic Basketball league’s championship is finished by our team in the third place while in the ULEB cup contest dropped out of the competition already in the 1/8-finals.

Season 2007 / 2008:
In the LBL (Latvian Basketball League) BC „Ventspils” should accept the bronze medals. In the regular season of the Baltic league BC „Ventspils” takes the sixth place but the first round of the play-off were not successful. In the ULEB Cup contest the club managed to move forward out of the group competition but in the sum of two game the team gave in to the players of the „Lucoil Academic”. The head coach during this season was Gasper Okorn, the assistan coach was Agris Galvanovskis. The roster of the team: Janis Strelnieks, Pavels Veselovs, Aigars Vitols, Raimonds Gabrans, Jimmy Baxter, Martins Skirmants, Justin Love, Gerry McNamara, Kaspars Cipruss, Ronalds Zaķis, Akselis Vairogs, Uvis Helmanis, Akin Akingbala.

Season 2008 / 2009
The gold returns to Ventspils! In a tense, seven-game final BC „Ventspils” took the gold away from team „Barons”, leaving them with silver medals. The final was really exciting because the winner of the 7th game wasn’t determined during the regular time, so to determine the winner an over-time with five additional minutes was needed. Ventspils basketball hall was filled with people, and they watched the over-time standing. BC „Ventspils” – LBL 8-time Latvian champion! In the BBL – 7th place. Participation in the FIBA EuroChallenge cup contest. The head coach was Agris Galvanovskis, though it was a fantastic season for our young talent – Janis Strelnieks who is going to be the team’s number one point guard during the next season.

Season 2009 / 2010:
The team begins the season with preparing for the Euroleague’s qualifying tournament where one game is held at home and away. For this important battle the team is coached by Agris Galvanovskis, his assistant is Guntis Endzels. Our rival is the strong Italian basketball club „Benetton”. Unfortunately, we have to comply with the rules of Euroleague and held the game in „Arena Riga” in Riga. We manage to win the first game but the game at „Benetton”’s court is lost and the dream of Euroleague ends. Though we are secured to participate in the second most pretige European basketball tournament ULEB CUP. Playing six games in the group tournament and losing all of them our team doesn’t quality for the next round. At the end of 2009 the head coach Agris Galvanovskis resigns and afterwards the Croat Silvano Poropat takes his place. In a dramatic ending of the game with the three-pointer by Janis Strelnieks at the buzzer our team lands the rights to take part in the Baltic Basketball league’s „Final Four”. Our team takes the third place and receives bronze medals. But in the Latvian Basketball league BC „Ventspils” experiences defeat against „VEF Riga” in the semi-finals, thus our team faces the games for the third place and afterwards finishes this season with bronze medals. The season is concluded with Guntis Endzels as the head coach, his assistant was Armands Kraulins, because Silvano Poropat was dismissed after the unsuccessful start in the LBL’s semi-finals.
The roster of the team: Janis Strelnieks, Arturs Strelnieks, Lauris Blauss, Arturs Berzins, Mareks Jurevicus, Ronalds Zakis, Ernests Kalve, Martins Meiers, Armands Skele, Dairis Bertans, Vedrans Princs, Mateo Kedzo. Also played for the team: Martins Berkis, Mikus Sokolovs, Aaron Patway, Jamal Tatum.

Season 2010 / 2011:
During this season basketball club „Ventspils” participates in three tournaments – Latvian Basketball league, Baltic Basketball league and EuroChallenge Cup. The Lithuanian professional Algirdas Brazis is approved as the team’s head coach.
The team passes a fantastic season in the FIBA EuroChallenge Cup tournament, making to the quarterfinals. However our team is defeated by the Belgian club „Oostende” and does not make it to the „Final Four”.
In the Baltic Basketball league the club makes to the „Final Four”, however, it faces defeat in the semi-finals against BC „Zalgyris” and also in the game for the third place BC „Ventspils” is defeated by „Lietuvos Rytas”. Our team finishes the BBL season in the fourth place.
It is an exciting final in Latvian Basketball league as all seven games are used to determine the champion. However, the basketball club „Ventspils” faces the defeat against „VEF Riga”, and the season is finished in the 2nd place.
During the season Algirdas Brazis was dismissed, and his place was taken over by Guntis Endzels. The assistant coaches were Armands Krauliņš un Gints Fogels. The athletic trainer Ricardas Reimaris.
The roster of the team: Akselis Vairogs (the captain of the team), Maris Gulbis, Janis Strelnieks, Arturs Strelnieks, Lauris Blaus, Martins Meiers (rented, Liepajas Lauvas), Davis Lejasmeiers (rented, Liepajas Lauvas), Arturs Berzins, Ronals Zakis (injured at the beginning of the season), Rashad Anderson, Brandon Hunter, Vejami Efejuku, Tyler Carter, Ugis Pinete.

Season 2011/2012:
Also during this season Basketball club “Ventspils” participates in te already mentioned tournaments – Latvian Basketball league, Baltic Basketball league and FIBA EuroChallenge Cup. The head coach of the team is Gundars Vetra, his assistant coach is Martins Zibarts and Gints Fogels, athletic trainer is Ricardas Reimaris.
Almost at the very start of the season the club experiences historic changes. One of the team leaders who also is the pupil of Ventspils basketball system and is one of the most talanted Latvian point guards – Janis Strelnieks is sold to St. Petersburg team “Spartak” in Russia. Janis Strelnieks played his last game as BC “Ventspils” player on November 18 in Saldus, where the team beats the current Latvian champions “VEF Rīga” team.
The FIBA EuroChallenge Cup season is very successful, and just few points stand in the way of reaching the Final 4.
The team battles for a chance to make it Final 4, but the goal is not reached, and in the end takes 6th place. In the Latvian Basketball league finals our team faces off with “VEF Rīga” and acknowledges the power of rival team in five games and accepts silver medals and the title of Vice Champions.
The roster of the team: Janis Strelnieks (moves to St. Petersburg’s “Spartak”), Andrejs Grazulis, Jahmar Young, Steven Gray, Martins Meiers, Davis Lejasmeiers, Martins Laksa, Ronalds Zakis, Arturs Strelnieks, Samuel Willard, Arturs Berzins, Todd Abernethy, Mamadi Diane.

Season 2012/2013:
The reigns of the head coach has been given to one of the greatest Latvian basketball players Roberts Stelmahers who previously has proven himself good at coaching teams in Lithuania. Assisting the head coach is Gints Fogels, but the athletic trainer is Kaspars Rumnieks.
During his first season with the team Stelmahers leads it to the Baltic Basketball league finals and for the first time in the history of Latvian basketball wins the Baltic Basketball league’s Champion title, beating the “Prienai” basketball club from Lithuania in the sum of two games. The finals MVP was named Janis Timma.
During the Latvian Basketball league’s finals BC “Ventspils” makes “VEF Rīga” work for it, but still loses the series in five games and once again takes home the silver medals of the Vice Champions of the league.
In FIBA EuroChallenge Cup our team gets through to the second round, but doesn’t qualify for the quarterfinals.
The roster of the team: the team captain Akselis Vairogs, Andrejs Grazulis, Janis Timma, Martins Meiers, Davis Lejasmeiers, Martins Laksa, Sandis Valters, Ugis Pinete, Donald Sims, Arturs Berzins, Ronalds Zakis, Folarin Campbell.

Season 2013./2014:
BC “Ventspils” become 9-time Latvian champions thus rewriting the history of Latvian basketball that is the best achievement in the history of renewed Latvia. The title is won in a five game finals when “Ventspils” beats the former 3-time champions “VEF Rīga” (4:1). Janis Timma is named the MVP of the finals.
Basketball club “Ventspils” played also in the Baltic Basketball League when after last year’s triumph the team did not make it further than then quarterfinals losing to the next BBL champions from Lithuania “Šiauliai”. Ventspils makes it to the 2nd round of the EuroChallenge Cup tournament but does not qualify for the quarterfinals. The coaching staff stays unchanged. The head coach of the team is Roberts Stelmahers, assistant coach Gints Fogels and Kaspars Rumnieks.
The roster of the team: the team captain Akselis Vairogs, Janis Timma, Davis Lejasmeiers, Martins Laksa, Sandis Valters, Ronalds Zakis, Artjoms Butjankovs, Edgars Stelmahers, Kristers Zeidaks, Maris Gulbis, Jerai Grant, Lorenzo Williams, Willie Camp,