Benetton Basket
Benetton Basket logo
Founded1954 (1954)
History
List
  • Duomo Folgore
    (1954–1970)
    Associazione Pallacanestro Treviso
    (1970–1991)
    Pallacanestro Treviso
    (1991–present)
ArenaPalaverde
Capacity5,344
LocationTreviso, Veneto, Italy
Team colorsGreen, White
   
PresidentGiorgio Buzzavo
Head coachMarcelo Nicola
Championships2 FIBA Saporta Cups
5 Italian Leagues
8 Italian Cups
Websitebenettonbasket.it

Pallacanestro Treviso, named Benetton Basket due to a long running sponsorship by the Benetton Group and widely referred to as Benetton Treviso, is an Italian youth basketball club based in Treviso, Veneto.

The club was previously a successful professional club until 2012 when the Benetton Group decided to withdraw from professional basketball, though they retained the youth section at La Ghirada, the sports complex they own. For past club sponsorship names, see sponsorship names.

History

Founded in 1954 as Duomo Folgore, it remained in obscurity for the first few decades of its existence though it did reach the first division Lega Basket Serie A in 1962. However the club only stayed there one season, finishing the league in last place, after which it was hampered by financial problems.[1]

Duomo Folgore was renamed Associazione Pallacanestro Treviso sometime during the 1970s, with new ownership. It then moved up the divisions, reaching the national Serie A2 in 1979.[2] In 1980-81 the team finished third in the league, earning a return to the Serie A.[3]

The Benetton Group started sponsoring the club during the 1981-82 season, which ended with a relegation to the A2. The following year, Benetton would become the majority owners of Pallacanestro Treviso, moving into the newly constructed PalaVerde, owned and financed by the family.[2] Promoted in 1985, it stayed in Serie A one-season before going back down. Another promotion followed in 1987, this one would see the club start a permanent stay in the elite.[3]

In 1991, the club legally became Pallacanestro Treviso (it was commonly called Benetton Treviso at the time), with its status changing from an association to a limited liability company (s.r.l.).[2] That year would spark a new era for Benetton Basket, with the arrival of the legendary Toni Kukoč from the three-peat European Champions of POP 84, but also of Stefano Rusconi from Cagiva Varese and Nino Pellacani, the team would beat Scavolini Pesaro to win their first Serie A title in 1992.[1]

The next season, Benetton won the Italian Cup and reached the Final Four of the FIBA European League (Europe's elite continental competition) that take place in Peace and Friendship Stadium, Piraeus, and in the semifinal defeated PAOK 79–77. In the final, Benetton although it was the favorite of the match, lost to Limoges CSP 55–59.[1]

Though Kukoč left for the NBA in the summer, Riccardo Pittis joined the club that won another Italian Cup that year. They would win their first European title, the FIBA European Cup against Taugrés, in 1995, thanks to players such as Orlando Woolridge and Petar Naumoski, and also became third successive Italian Cup that garnished the trophy cabinet.[1]

Benetton added another Serie A title in 1997, a second FIBA Saporta Cup in 1999 against Pamesa Valencia, and an Italian cup in 2000. During the 2001–02 season they won the Italian Supercup and the league. The next year they did even better with a treble, winning the Supercup, Cup and league but they didn't manage to won the Euroleague title defeated in the final by FC Barcelona.[1]

Adding more league titles after that, Benetton Basket reached the Euroleague Final Four on a few occasions but never managed to win the title.

Struggles

In February 2011, the Benetton family announced they would be withdrawing their support for professional basketball, effectively calling time on Treviso's top flight status if no other backer could be found.[4]

Well-wishers such as former players Paolo Vazzoler and Pittis tried to rouse support for a new club, Treviso Basket 2012. However their application to take Benetton Basket's place in the Serie A was rejected. [5]

Since then Benetton Basket has focused only on youth development, with the Under 17 squad their most senior.[2] Treviso is represented in professional basket by Universo Treviso Basket - the renamed Treviso Basket 2012 - who, as of April 2022, play in the Lega Basket Serie A.[6]

Honours

Total titles: (15)

Domestic competitions

Winners (5): 1991–92, 1996–97, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2005–06
Runners-up (4): 1992–93, 1994–95, 1998–99, 1999–00
Winners (8): 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1999–00, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2006–07
Runners-up (2): 1991–92, 1997–98
Winners (4): 1997, 2001, 2002, 2006
Runners-up (5): 1995, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007

European competitions

Runners-up (2): 1992–93, 2002–03
3rd place (2): 1997–98, 2001–02
Final Four (4): 1993, 1998, 2002, 2003
Winners (2): 1994–95, 1998–99
Semifinalists (1): 1996–97
4th place (1): 2010–11

Other competitions

4th place (1): 1991

Top performances in European & Worldwide competitions

Season Achievement Notes
EuroLeague
1992–93 Final defeated PAOK 79-77 in the semi-final, lost to Limoges CSP 55-59 in the final (Athens)
1995–96 Quarter-finals eliminated 2–1 by Panathinaikos, 67-70 (L) in Athens, 83-69 (W) and 64-65 (L) in Treviso
1997–98 Final Four 3rd place in Barcelona, lost to AEK 66–69 in the semi-final, defeated Partizan 96-89 for the 3rd place game
2000–01 Quarter-finals eliminated 2–1 by AEK, 89-97 (L) in Athens, 90-74 (W) in Treviso and 56-71 (L) in Athens
2001–02 Final Four 3rd place in Bologna, lost to Kinder Bologna 82–90 in the semi-final, no game for 3rd place
2002–03 Final defeated Montepaschi Siena 65-62 in the semi-final, lost to FC Barcelona 65-76 in the final (Barcelona)
2004–05 Quarter-finals eliminated 2–0 by Tau Cerámica, 59-98 (L) in Treviso, 64-66 (L) in Vitoria-Gasteiz
FIBA Saporta Cup
1994–95 Champions defeated Taugrés 94-86 in the final of European Cup in Istanbul
1998–99 Champions defeated Pamesa Valencia 64-60 in the final of Saporta Cup in Zaragoza
FIBA Korać Cup
1996–97 Semi-finals eliminated by Aris, 73-77 (L) in Thessaloniki, 87-86 (W) in Treviso
EuroCup Basketball
2008–09 Quarter-finals lost to Lietuvos rytas 79-85 in the quarter-final of Final Eight in Turin
2010–11 Final Four 4th place in Treviso, lost to Cajasol 63-75 in the semi-final, lost to Cedevita 57-59 in the 3rd place game

Players

FIBA Hall of Famers

Pallacanestro Treviso Hall of Famers
Players
No.Nat.NamePositionTenureInducted
7CroatiaToni KukočC1991–19932017[7]

Notable players

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

Criteria

To appear in this section a player must have either:

  • Set a club record or won an individual award while at the club
  • Played at least one official international match for their national team at any time
  • Played at least one official NBA match at any time.

Head coaches

Sponsorship names

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

  • Faram Treviso (1977–1979)
  • Liberti Treviso (1979–1981)
  • Benetton Basket (1981–2012)

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Sachs, Frankie (23 February 2012). "The club scene: Benetton Basket". Eurocup Basketball. Archived from the original on June 17, 2015. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "La storia / 70 anni di basket a Treviso" [The History / 70 years of basketball in Treviso]. Pallacanestro Treviso (in Italian). Archived from the original on 9 November 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  3. 1 2 "Pall. Treviso - storia" [Pall. Treviso - history]. Lega Basket Serie A (in Italian). Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  4. ↑ "Benetton fa un passo indietro. Dal 2012 basta basket e volley" [Benetton takes a step back. From 2012 it will withdraw from basketball and volleyball]. La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). Treviso. 16 February 2011. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  5. ↑ "Basket, Treviso: Societa' pronta a ricorso per eclusione da A" [Basketball, Treviso:The society is ready to appeal against its exclusion for the [Serie] A]. la Repubblica (in Italian). Treviso. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  6. ↑ "Playoff Finale Gara 3 - La decide David Logan, Treviso vince con fatica e ritorna in serie A!" [Final Playoffs Game-3 - David Logan killed the match, Treviso wins and returns to Serie A!]. pianetabasket.com (in Italian). Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  7. ↑ "FIBA.basketball". Retrieved 20 August 2019.
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