Pallacanestro Varese

2011/12: 8th Place

Pallacanestro Varese is one of the most famous Italian basketball clubs from Varese in Italy. He played in the 2011/2012 season in Serie A. The matches will be played in PalaWhirlpool, which offers 5,300 spaces.

History

Promotion to the national peak (up to 1961)

Pallacanestro Varese was founded in 1945. In its first year, Varese got out of the B Series first in the top flight on. 1949 and 1950, was twice runner-up. In the following seasons it was never worse than on eight placed at the end of each season. 1956 rose as title sponsor of the appliance manufacturers a Ignis. In the following seasons they reached fifth place twice and then twice a third place in a time when Simmenthal Milan four championships get behind each other.

Duel with Simmenthal Milan, the first European Cup victory and first double ( 1961-1969 )

1961 then succeeded to the Championship, the first national title. In the following season to Milan took the title back and referred defending Varese to second place. While Tonino Zorzi then finished his playing career at Varese and his coaching career started, Milan was unbeatable in the season 1962/63. In the season 1963/64, to vice-champion Varese brought back the title and referred Milan to second place that the tables turned around again in the following season. In the championship 1965/66 the two permanent rivals were at the end of the season on par and there was a play that Varese clearly won with the Italian-American Tony Gennari with 15 points. The Association recognized the title of Varese, however, since the eligibility for Gennari had been irregular. That same year, the first time you won the Intercontinental Cup.

In the following season 1966/67, moved the then 16 - year-old center Dino Meneghin that should develop in the sequel to the dominant players at his position in Europe in the squad for the first team and one runner-up was again behind Milan. When it was first held you won the European Cup Winners' Cup final in two games against the Israeli series champion Maccabi Tel Aviv. In the following season ranked at the end again a place behind Milan, but was only fifth in 1968, when Pallacanestro Cantu got his first championship. In the following season in 1968/69 they won the domestic double when they beat in the cup final of the trained Zorzi runner-up and defending champion Partenope Napoli with a point and time in the championship rival Milan pointed to the second place.

Dominance under coach Nikolić (1969 to 1973)

In 1969, the Yugoslav Aleksandar Nikolić became the new coach of the Northern Italians and led the team out to a dominance over Italy. After they had triumphed in the semifinals of the national champion European Cup well above last year's finalist Real Madrid were beaten in Nikolić ' hometown of Sarajevo in the final defending champions CSKA Moscow against which it had lost in the second round. In addition to the domestic double it again won the Intercontinental Cup and was victorious in every national and international competition at the end. However, after the third domestic double episode in 1971, lost the rematch of the final game in the European Cup against Moscow comparatively significantly with 14 points difference. Simmen valley Milan also hit back in 1972 and referred Varese in both league and cup on the second place. After you lay in the final table par, Milan won both the decider as well as the cup final with four points difference. Without defending champions CSKA Moscow, however, Varese could scarce prevail in the national champion trophy in the final against Jugoplastika Split and at the same time thus securing a renewed participation in this competition. In 1972 came the Americans Bob Morse to Varese and in the second round of the European Cup was assured by behind CSKA Moscow in second place and therefore met in the semifinals of the national rivals from Milan, the one defeated significantly with 40 points difference from two games. In the final, then you could for the defeat in the second round and the final revenge against Moscow two years ago and defended his title as European champions. In the championship in 1973 is on a par with Milan and won for his part in a revenge for the defeat a year earlier, the decision game with four points difference. The national cup victory and success in the Intercontinental Cup made ​​the second quadruple triumph after 1970 perfect and meant the end of the era Nikolić, who went back to KK Crvena Zvezda.

Champion or European champions under coach Gamba ( 1973-1977 )

1973 was calculated Sandro Gamba coach of Varese, previously almost a quarter of a century player and coach of Olimpia Milano duration rival. Varese defended his national championship title and pulled in the European Cup, which took place without the participation of CSKA Moscow, again to the final one, where to Real Madrid but was unsuccessful in two points difference. This saddle could grind out 1975, when it defeated the defending champions clearly with 13 points difference this time in a rematch of last year's finale. This was also necessary because you just so you could secure a continued participation in the European Cup, since they had finished the final round of the Italian championship behind Cantu as runner-up. This also meant the end of Ignis as a sponsor, which had given its name to the Association 19 years. In the European Cup final in 1976 they met for the third time in a row on Real Madrid and moved to the final victory and the fifth national champion title coinciding with the Spanish club and overtook CSKA Moscow, who were four in this competition successfully before. In the final round of the national championship they came again in second place and had time veteran Virtus Bologna to defer, who won his first championship title in 20 years. The championship was first held in 1977 in the play-off mode, the top four teams and Varese remained in these without defeat and was able to defeat defending champion Bologna in the final series. Also in National Champion Cup there was a change in the mode; instead of an intermediate round and a semifinal there was now a final round, after ten games finished Varese first and Madrid and Moscow left behind. Because of the better direct comparison drew Maccabi Tel Aviv in second final and defeated in Belgrade Varese with a dot. The first European Cup triumph for Maccabi meant a late revenge for the lost Cup Winners' Cup final ten years earlier, as Varese won his first European Cup. This also meant the end of the era of Sandro Gamba as a coach.

From the large fortune left ( 1977-1981 )

In 1977 Nico Messina again coach who had led Varese to his first double in 1969. This could be in a remake of the final series defending the national championship against Bologna. In the European Cup they moved second in the final series one to the final against Real Madrid, who won this in the Olympic Basketball Gymnasium. For the following two seasons was Edoardo Rusconi coach, even long-time player from 1967 to 1975 and from 1977 to 1978 for Varese. Par after the final round attracted Varese and KK Bosna Sarajevo in the European Cup final, where the Yugoslav club was victorious with 96:93. In the tenth national champion - European final in succession, this meant the fifth Final defeat and the third in a row. In the championship they lost as the main round the first semifinal series against Olimpia Milano. This was also clear that the final of the European Champions Cup in 1980 was beyond the reach of Varese, because it was thus no longer eligible to participate in this competition. Instead, they reached the final of the European Cup Winners' Cup where you interrupted the series of national competitors Pallacanestro Cantu, who had previously been victorious in this competition three times. In Milan we won against Cantu with two points after extra time. In the championship, but it was eliminated in the semifinals against defending Virtus Bologna. After a coaching change was achieved in the season 1980/81, although again the first place after the regular season, but in the semi-final was again against defending Bologna terminus. At the end of the season left Bob Morse, who went to France, and Dino Meneghin, who moved to Milan, the club. Thus, the most successful period of Varese was finished.

Until the crash in the A2 series (1981 to 1992)

In the following years after 1981 it was among the best eight teams in Italy, but came into the Championship play-offs never beyond the quarter-finals. The best season had one in 1984/85 than you though was eliminated in fourth place of the main draws in the quarter- final, but moved in reimported cup competition in the finals, but lost against Scavolini Pesaro. In addition, we reached the final in Brussels, which was lost against the national competitors Olimpia Milano at Dino Meneghin and Mike D'Antoni with 13 points difference in the European Korać Cup 1985.

After another sixth place in the season after the US- American Joe Isaac was 1986 trainer and you finished the regular season as a table first, and then in the play-off semi-final series against defending champions Milan, who had been reinforced with Bob McAdoo, winless. remain The same was repeated in the following season 1987/88, as the first table you lost the play-off semi-final series against the eventual champion Pesaro, which thus brought to their first championship success. In the final of the cup competition in 1988, they lost to Juventus Caserta. 1988/89 was reached after regular time only a ninth place in the table and was eliminated in the play-off quarter-finals, after which coach Isaac was allowed to go back.

In the short term this brought success when you moved into the next season after the second place in the final series of the championship, where you Pesaro but could not prevent their second championship success. At the end of the season power forward Corny Thompson left after six years the team in the direction of Spain, while Dino Meneghins son Andrea Meneghin moved into the first team. With the reorganization had no success in the season 1990/91 and missed the first time since the introduction of the play-offs in the national championship. The 1991/92 season ended then catastrophic for the club accustomed to success. In the relegation round with the best clubs from the series A2 is missed because of the poorer direct comparison in the league and were relegated for the first time.

Resurgence and tenth championship (1992 to 1999)

Coach Joe Isaac returned and in the relegation round in 1993 you missed even just a return to the top flight. Plan for the next season a more trainers returnee was committed with coach Edoardo Rusconi and through the first table space in 1994 was assured by directly re- ascent, while the long-standing northern Italian rival Cantu for his part descent into A2 series. After the resurgence ever could qualify for the play- offs the best eight teams and reached under the new coach Carlo Recalcati 1998 against eventual champions Virtus Bologna for the first time a semifinal series. In the following season they moved to the " Final Four " one for the cup competition, the Virtus Bologna was able to win in the final against Varese in its own hall with two points difference. In the championship, but you could return the favor and was able to defeat defending champion this time in the semi-final series to win the final series smooth against Benetton Treviso. After the championship Giacomo Galanda returned to Bologna Fortitude and "took " the same coach Recalcati with.

Mediocrity, descent and back again versa (since 1999)

After the championship was followed by a series of coach changes, often during the season, and the team was never better place than 8th place in the final table itself. In 2005 they reached the league with only one win ahead. Then rose with Jacuzzi, the new owner of the former name of the sponsor Ignis as a new title sponsor in. After being celebrated in 2007 after returning from Galanda with the seventh place, the best final ranking since the championship, followed in 2007/ 08 under the new name sponsor Cimberio the renewed fall in the second class, as one the season before last after only eight wins completed in 34 games. Behind Varese ranked basketball only because of a point deduction Scafati.

However Cimberio was title sponsor and also Galanda remained loyal to the club and in the Legadue that had the series A2 replaced, succeeded after the first place in the final table of the immediate resurgence. According to a twelfth place in 2010 was reached in 2011 and 2012 just a place in the play-offs at the Italian Championship.

Sponsors name

Achievements

• National Champions Cup: 1970, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976
• National Champions Cup final: 1971, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1979
• Saporta Cup: 1967, 1980
• Korać Cup Final: 1985
• Intercontinental Cup: 1966, 1970, 1973
• Italian Basketball Champion: 10 times - 1961, 1964, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1999
• Italian Basketball Cup: 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973
• Italian Supercup: 1999

Team Season 2012/2013

As of October 9, 2011

Significant former players

• Aldo Ossola
• Aleksandar Nikolić
• Alessandro De Pol
• Andrea Meneghin
• Antonio Zorzi
• Antony Gennari
• Arijan Komazec
• Bob Morse
• Charlie Yelverton
• Corey Albano
• Corny Thompson
• Daniel Farabello
• Daniel Santiago
• DeJuan Collins
• DeMarco Johnson
• Dino Meneghin
• Doug Brandt
• Federico Marin
• Francesco Vescovi
• Gabriel Fernandez
• Geno Carlisle
• Giacomo Galanda
• Gianmarco Pozzecco
• Gregor Hafnar
• Jerry McCullough
• Nico Messina
• Manuel Raga
• Marco Allegretti
• Mario Andreo
• Pavel Podkolzine
• Rolando Howell
• Rusty LaRue
• Remo Maggetti
• Renato Padovan
• Romeo Sacchetti
• Stefano Rusconi
• Veljko Mršić