BC Lietkabelis

Lietkabelis Panevėžys
Leagues	Lithuanian Basketball League Baltic Basketball League
Founded	1964
History	Lietkabelis (1964–1996); Kalnapilis (1996–2000); Preventa-Malsena (2000–2002); Malsena (2002–2003); Aukštaitija (2003–2004); Panevėžys (2004–2007); Techasas (2007–2012) Lietkabelis (2012–present)
Arena	Cido Arena (Capacity: 5,656)
Location	Panevėžys, Lithuania
Team colors	Dark red, White and Pale gold
President	Alvydas Bieliauskas
Head coach	Kazys Maksvytis
Championships	2x Lithuania league Champions (1985, 1988) 4x Lithuania league Bronze medals (1983, 1984, 1990, 1991) Baltic Basketball League Bronze medals (2016)
Website	kklietkabelis.lt
Uniforms
Home Away

BC Lietkabelis (Lithuanian: Krepšinio Klubas Lietkabelis; Basketball Club Lietkabelis) is a Lithuanian professional basketball team based in Panevėžys, Lithuania, participating in the Lithuanian Basketball League and the Baltic Basketball League. BC Techasas had many financial problems at the 2011–2012 season start, they even boycotted a LKF Cup game.^[1] Because of that Darius Gaudiešius sold the basketball club to Algirdas Kriščiūnas, Antanas Kazys Liorentas and Kazimieras Antanynas.^[2] Due to the club owner changes, club got back his legendary name Lietkabelis.^[3]

History

Basketball club Lietkabelis history begins in 1964. The club’s name was not changing for straight 32 years. The home-court games were played in Aukštaitija Sports Palace, which was opened in 1965. The construction of the palace was initiated by V. Variakojis. Most of the team‘s players contributed with their own hands in the palace's construction process. At that period, the team was represented by such sports masters, like: S. Atraškevičius, J. Balakauskas, A. Butkūnas, V. Juchnevičius, E. Kuodys, A. Matačiūnas, R. Petrauskas, R. Sargūnas, V. Stalilionis, J. Zičkus, E. Žurauskas, V. Variakojis and others. Until the establishment of the Lithuanian Basketball League in 1993, Lietkabelis was among the country’s strongest basketball teams. During these times, Panevėžys club, trained by R. Sargūnas and V. Paškauskas from 1964 to 1996, became Lithuania’s champions twice (1985, 1988), won third place three times (1983, 1984 and 1991) and qualified into the Lithuania’s Cup competition finals two times (1985, 1986). Other performances are as follows: 1964, 1965, 1968 and 1989 – 5th places, 1966 and 1969 – 6th places, 1970, 1971, 1980, 1986 and 1993 – 7th places, 1973 and 1977 – 11-12 places, 1975 – 11th place, 1976 – 9-10 places, 1979 – 9th place, 1981 – 8th place and 1982, 1987, 1990, 1992 – 4th places.

From 1978 to 1986, Lietkabelis represented Lithuania in USSR I division tournament (second-tier competition in the Soviet Union). In more than three decades, many notable basketball persons played for the Panevėžys’ team: Algimantas Baziukas, Algirdas Brazys, Raimundas Čivilis, V. Dambrauskas, A. Kairys, M. Karnišovas, Jonas Kazlauskas, Algirdas Kriščiūnas, Rimas Kurtinaitis, Vitoldas Masalskis, O. Moisejenka, Gintaras Leonavičius, Rolandas Penikas, Algimantas Pavilonis, A. Šidlauskas and others. Notable boarding sports school members, who later been a part of the Lithuania national basketball team, trained their skills in Lietkabelis. Such players are: Gintaras Einikis, Dainius Adomaitis, Alvydas Pazdrazdis, Romanas Brazdauskis, Gvidonas Markevičius and others. The team long-time was coached by V. Stankevičius, a Lietkabelis factory director. The factory was team’s main sponsor.

Dainius Šalenga as a Lietkabelis member in 2015.

In 1993, basketball club Lietkabelis was one of the eight Lithuanian Basketball League founders. From 1996, after three decades, Lietkabelis factory left basketball world. The team’s names were changing constantly: Kalnapilis (1996-1999), Sema (1999-2000), Panevėžys (2000-2001 ir 2004-2007), Preventa-Malsena (2001-2003), Aukštaitija (2003-2004) and Techasas (2007-2012). From January 2012, club’s name was reverted to the legendary one – Lietkabelis. In 20 LKL seasons the team’s jersey was worn by such notable Lithuanian basketball players: Gintaras Bačianskas (19,7 points per game in LKL), Gintaras Kadžiulis, Kęstutis Kemzūra, Mindaugas Lukauskis, Paulius Staškūnas, Žydrūnas Urbonas and others. In 1999-2000 season, Panevėžys team (named Sema at that time) participated in international tournament – FIBA Korać Cup for the first time after the country’s independence. In 2004-2005 season and from 2007 to 2012, Panevėžys team participated in Baltic Basketball League’s second division (renamed to BBL Challenge Cup in 2007). They also played in the BBL Elite Division from 2005 to 2007 and from 2012 to 2014. During ten years in this league, the team achieved first place twice (in 2005 as Panevėžys and in 2012 as Lietkabelis), they also won bronze medals twice as well (in 2008 and 2011 as Techasas).

In October 2008, the brand-new Cido Arena was opened in Panevėžys, which has 5656 seats for the basketball spectators. It became new Panevėžys basketball team home-hourt, replacing the Aukštaitija Sports Palace after 43 years.^[4]

On July 29, 2015, the club was invited to join the FIBA Europe Cup tournament, which is the alternative version of the 2nd tier European tournament Eurocup, organized by FIBA.^[5] Although, just before the dawning ceremony, it was announced that 56 teams will participate instead of 64 and Lietkabelis is not one of these 56.^[6]

Current roster

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

BC Lietkabelis roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. # Nat. Name Ht. Wt. Age PG 4 Pavković, Miljan 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) 76 kg (168 lb) 35 – 20 April 1981 G 6 Love, Jermaine 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) 80 kg (176 lb) 27 – 27 March 1989 SG 7 Aukštikalnis, Lukas 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) 80 kg (176 lb) 20 – 19 August 1995 C 9 Ilić, Mile 2.16 m (7 ft 1 in) 104 kg (229 lb) 31 – 2 June 1984 PG 10 Janavičius, Žygimantas 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) 80 kg (176 lb) 27 – 20 February 1989 F/C 11 Valeika, Artūras 2.07 m (6 ft 9 in) 100 kg (220 lb) 30 – 11 August 1985 PF 14 Žalalis, Gediminas 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) 90 kg (198 lb) 21 – 21 January 1995 G/F 13 Buterlevičius, Simas 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) 88 kg (194 lb) 27 – 18 April 1989 SF 21 Kazonas, Mantas 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) 92 kg (203 lb) 26 – 6 June 1989 PF 22 Kazakauskas, Julius 1.97 m (6 ft 6 in) 99 kg (218 lb) 25 – 22 December 1990 F 42 Vasylius, Valdas 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) 90 kg (198 lb) 32 – 3 September 1983 F 77 Labuckas, Arnas (C) 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) 98 kg (216 lb) 29 – 28 January 1987	Head coach Kazys Maksvytis Assistant coach(es) Gintaras Kadžiulis Legend (C) Team captain Injured Roster Updated: 23 April 2016

Depth chart

Pos.	Starter	Bench	Bench	Reserve
C	Mile Ilić	Jurica Zuza	Artūras Valeika
PF	Valdas Vasylius	Julius Kazlauskas
SF	Arnas Labuckas	Mantas Kazonas
SG	Simas Buterlevičius	Jermaine Love	Lukas Aukštikalnis
PG	Žygimantas Janavičius	Miljan Pavković

Club achievements

Evaldas Žabas was named LKL All-Star in 2015.

Jurica Žuža previously played for Panathinaikos before joining Lietkabelis.

Egidijus Dimša was one of Lietkabelis team leaders in 2015.

Season	League	Pos.	Significant Events	Baltic League	Pos.	LKF Cup	European Competitions
1993–94	LKL	9	–	–	–	–	–
1994–95	LKL	9	–	–	–	–	–
1995–96	LKL	10	–	–	–	–	–
1996–97	LKL	9	–	–	–	–	–
1997–98	LKL	10	–	–	–	–	–
1998–99	LKL	6	Quarterfinalist	–	–	–	–
1999–00	LKL	6	Quarterfinalist	–	–	–	Played Korać Cup
2000–01	LKL	7	Quarterfinalist	–	–	–	–
2001–02	LKL	9	–	–	–	–	–
2002–03	LKL	9	–	–	–	–	–
2003–04	LKL	7	Quarterfinalist	–	–	–	–
2004–05	LKL	8	Quarterfinalist	Challenge Cup	1	–	–
2005–06	LKL	7	Quarterfinalist	Elite Division	11	–	–
2006–07	LKL	5	Quarterfinalist	Challenge Cup	11	–	–
2007–08	LKL	9	–	Challenge Cup	4	–	–
2008–09	LKL	9	–	Challenge Cup	7	Eight finalist	–
2009–10	LKL	6	Quarterfinalist	Challenge Cup	3	–	–
2010–11	LKL	6	Quarterfinalist	Challenge Cup	3	Second round	–
2011–12	LKL	11	–	Challenge Cup	1	Withdrew	–
2012–13	LKL	9	–	Top 16		Quarterfinalist	–
2013–14	LKL	9	–	Top 16		Fourth round	–
2014–15	LKL	8	Quarterfinalist	Quarterfinalist		Quarterfinalist	–

References

1. Techasas boycotted LKF Cup game (Lithuanian)
2. Algirdas Kriščiūnas, Antanas Kazys Liorentas and Kazimieras Antanynas bought BC Techasas (Lithuanian)
3. Techasas renamed to Lietkabelis (Lithuanian)
4. Istorija : KK Lietkabelis (Lithuanian)
5. "FIBA Europos taurės dalyvių sąraše – penki Lietuvos klubai". BasketNews.lt. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
6. "FIBA paskutinę akimirką iš turnyro dalyvių sąrašo išbraukė "Lietkabelį" ir "Vytautą"". BasketNews.lt. Retrieved 3 August 2015.

External links

• Official website of BC Lietkabelis (Lithuanian)
• BC Lietkabelis LKL.lt (Lithuanian)