U-BT Cluj-Napoca
U-BT Cluj-Napoca logo
NicknameȘepcile roșii
(The Red Caps)
Studenții
(The Students)
Alb-Negrii
(The White and Blacks)
LeaguesLiga Națională
Romanian Cup
EuroCup
Founded1947 (1947)[1][2]
HistoryCS Universitatea Cluj-Napoca
(1947–1996)
U Invest Cluj-Napoca
(1996–1997)
U Sanex Cluj-Napoca
(1997–1998)
U Carbochim Cluj-Napoca
(1998–2002)
Policarbochim Cluj-Napoca
(2002–2005)
U Poli-Mobitelco-Carbochim
(2005–2006)
U Mobitelco Cluj-Napoca
(2006–2014)
U-BT Cluj-Napoca
(2014–present)
ArenaBTarena
Horia Demian
Capacity10,000[3]
2,525
LocationCluj-Napoca, Romania
Team colorsWhite, Black
   
Main sponsorBanca Transilvania[4]
PresidentMarius Bojiță[5]
Vice-president(s)Mircea Cristescu
Sergiu Mircea
Head coachMihai Silvășan[6]
Team captainPatrick Richard
Championships5 Romanian Leagues
5 Romanian Cup
4 Romanian Supercup[7]
Websitewww.u-bt.ro

U-Banca Transilvania Cluj-Napoca, commonly known as U-BT Cluj-Napoca, is a professional basketball club based in Cluj-Napoca, Romania that competes domestically in the Liga Națională de Baschet and internationally in the EuroCup. Like other teams that were initially part of the Universitatea Cluj multi sports club, the basketball team keeps the letter U (short form of Universitatea) in its name.[1] The main sponsor of the team is the locally based banking institution Banca Transilvania.[4] The team colors are black and white. U-BT Cluj plays its home games at the BTarena, which accommodates 10,000 spectators,[3][8] or in Horia Demian Sports Hall with a capacity of 2,525 spectators.[8]

Initially being founded in 1947, the basketball team split from the parent sports club at the beginning of the 2000s, due to financial difficulties, retaining its place in the top tier of Romanian basketball.[1][2] While the fans consider the current club as the moral successor of the team that won three league titles before the turn of the century, the parent club claims all the trophies won before 2002 as part of its own records.[9] In 2017, an image partnership was agreed between U-BT Cluj-Napoca and FC Universitatea Cluj (the local football club which itself was functioning as a private entity following its split from the parent sports club), uniting them under the same brand.[10] Therefore, beginning with the 2017-18 season, U-BT Cluj-Napoca uses the same logo as the football club.[11][12]

Timeout at a 2021–22 Champions League game.

History

Whilst the parent sports club, U Cluj was founded in 1919, the basketball team was founded in 1947 and played for the first time in the Romanian Championship in 1966. Since then, U Cluj was a constant presence in the Romanian First Division, with their best performances being recorded in the 1990s, when they won three Romanian Championships.

During its history, the team had different names. Since 1990, the main sponsor is usually added to the name of the parent sports club, U Cluj. This resulted in a change of name every time the main sponsor was changed. Previous names of the team were U Ştiinţa, Ştiinţa IMF, U Metalul Rosu, U Fimaro, U SM Invest, U Sanex, and U Carbochim.

In the 2012–2013 season, U Mobitelco Cluj Napoca finished on 7th place (20 wins – 10 losses) and qualify for the play-off. Here the team played the first round against CSM Oradea but lost with 3–1. Also the team played the Romanian Cup final but lost against CS Gaz Metan Medias with the score 62–76. At the end of that season the coach and all the foreign players left the team.

The most famous player who played for U Cluj was Gheorghe Mureșan, who signed in 1993 with the Washington Bullets, becoming the tallest player ever in the NBA. He played 6 successful seasons with the Bullets and the New Jersey Nets, averaging a career 9.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 0.5 assists. Mureșan obtained the title of NBA Most Improved Player following the 1995–96 NBA season. He began his career playing two years for Universitatea Cluj-Napoca.

Fans and rivalries

BT Arena hosting a basetball game.
BT Arena (U-BT Cluj-Napoca vs MHP Ludwisburg ; Basketball Champions League quarter finals)

U-BT Cluj has the largest fan base in Romania. It was the first team in Romania to have 10,000 people in the stands at a basketball match (Basketball Champions League quarter finals, April 2022).The main rivalries of "U" are the ones with CSU Sibiu ("The derby of Transylvania"), CSM Oradea and CSA Steaua Bucharest.

Honours

Domestic competitions

  • Liga Națională
    • Winners (5): 2011,[13] 2017, 2021, 2022, 2023
    • Runners-up (3): 2006, 2008, 2010
    • Third place (2): 2007, 2019
  • Romanian Cup
    • Winners (5): 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2023
    • Runners-up (1): 2006

European competitions

Current roster

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

U-Banca Transilvania Cluj-Napoca roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.Nat.NameHt.Age
G/F 0 Cuba Guzmán, Karel 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) 28 – (1995-02-07)7 February 1995
F/C 5 Latvia Mejeris, Mareks 2.07 m (6 ft 9 in) 32 – (1991-09-02)2 September 1991
PG 8 Romania Lăpuște, David 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) 19 – (2004-11-08)8 November 2004
PF 9 Romania Roschnafsky, Eduard 2.09 m (6 ft 10 in) 20 – (2003-06-20)20 June 2003
G 11 United States Seeley, D. J. 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 34 – (1989-11-28)28 November 1989
SG 12 Romania Petric, Alexis 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 16 – (2007-09-06)6 September 2007
C 13 Bosnia and Herzegovina Stipanović, Andrija 2.09 m (6 ft 10 in) 37 – (1986-12-18)18 December 1986
C 15 Romania Cățe, Emanuel 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) 26 – (1997-07-30)30 July 1997
SF 20 Romania Fîntînă, David 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) 17 – (2006-06-20)20 June 2006
SF 25 Romania Măciucă, Mihai 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 23 – (2000-05-25)25 May 2000
F 31 United States Eddie, Jarell 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) 32 – (1991-10-30)30 October 1991
PG 32 United States Jones, Bryce Tyler 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) 29 – (1994-10-12)12 October 1994
G 35 United States Richard, Patrick (C) 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) 33 – (1990-01-25)25 January 1990
G/F 95 France Mokoka, Adam 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 25 – (1998-07-18)18 July 1998
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
  • Serbia Dean Medan
  • Romania Răzvan Cenean
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Injured Injured
Updated: October 3, 2023

Depth chart

Pos. Starting 5 Bench 1 Bench 2
C Andrija Stipanović Emanuel Cățe
PF Jarell Eddie Mareks Mejeris Eduard Roschnafsky
SF Karel Guzmán Mihai Măciucă David Fîntînă
SG D. J. Seeley Patrick Richard Alexis Petric
PG Bryce Jones Adam Mokoka David Lăpuște

Notable players

Head coaches

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Aproape 80 de ani de istorie și tradiție" (in Romanian). u-bt.ro. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  2. 1 2 "ISTORIC BASCHET MASCULIN" (in Romanian). u-cluj.ro. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  3. 1 2 Marc, Iulia (5 January 2017)."10 000 de locuri la Sala Polivalentă în 2017" (in Romanian). cluj.com. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  4. 1 2 "U-Mobitelco devine U-BT" (in Romanian). u-bt.ro. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
  5. ↑ "Structură și conducere" (in Romanian). u-bt.ro. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  6. ↑ "Lotul echipei U-BT Cluj-Napoca" (in Romanian). u-bt.ro. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  7. ↑ "Palmares U-BT" (in Romanian). u-bt.ro. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  8. 1 2 "Baze sportive U-BT Cluj-Napoca" (in Romanian). u-bt.ro. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  9. ↑ totalbaschet.ro (2 June 2014)."Ovidiu Vasu: Palmaresul secţiei de baschet e al Universităţii Cluj-Napoca" (in Romanian). Baschet.ro. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  10. ↑ "Alianță între FC Universitatea Cluj 1919 şi ACS U-BT" (in Romanian). u-bt.ro. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
  11. ↑ "Noul echipament, prezentat în conferința de presă" (in Romanian). u-bt.ro. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
  12. ↑ Popa, Robert (18 September 2017)."U-BT atacă titlul la baschet cu emblema FC Universitatea Cluj pe piept" (in Romanian). Ziua de Cluj. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
  13. ↑ Ziua de Cluj (31 May 2011)."Publicul a invadat Sala Sporturilor, strigând" (in Romanian). Ziua de Cluj. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
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