CB Girona

Club Bàsquet Sant Josep was a professional basketball team based in Girona, Catalonia, Spain.

History

The club was founded in 1962 by Ramon Sitjà as CB Sant Josep. In 1989 it became the Anonymous Sport Association (SAD). In 1987, when the ACB was enlarged to 24 teams, CB Girona entered the first division. In 1991, the club had to buy the rights of the Granollers EB to stay in the ACB as they were going to be relegated to the second division.

In 2007, Girona won the FIBA EuroCup championship, which was hosted at Palau Girona-Fontajau arena. They beat Azovmash Mariupol in the final after having beaten Adecco Estudiantes in the semifinals.

After the end of the 2007–2008 season, CB Girona suffered serious economic problems, with a debt of over €6 million euros. On July 25, 2008, the club announced that it would not participate in the 2008–09 season of either the Spanish ACB League or the Eurocup.

The SAD was dissolved original CB Sant Josep Girona was kept for beginning playing in Adecco Bronce, the fourth level Spanish division.

In the 2009–10 season, Sant Josep bought a LEB Oro place from CB Vic and played the quarterfinals of the promotion playoffs. On the next season, Girona finished in fourth position, arriving to the semifinals. In summer 2012, after three season spent at LEB Oro, the club resigns to its spot in the league and decides to continue playing in Liga EBA, Spanish fourth division.

In April 2013, CB Sant Josep announced it would be dissolved at the end of the 2012–13 season.

Logos

Image:CB Sant Josep Girona.png, Former logo, until 2009
Image:CB Girona.png, Last ACB logo, sponsored by Akasvayu
Image:Nou logo CB Sant Josep.jpg, New logo since 2009

Season by season

Participations in European competitions

*1989-90 Korać Cup: Eliminated in the second round
*1999-00 Korać Cup: Eliminated in the semifinals
*2000-01 Korać Cup: Eliminated in the second round
*2006-07 FIBA EuroCup: CHAMPIONS
*2007-08 ULEB Cup: runners up

Trophies and awards

Trophies

* FIBA EuroCup: (1)
**2007
* Catalan League: (2)
**1996, 2006
* LEB Catalan league: (2)
**2009, 2010

Individual awards

ACB Most Valuable Player
* Darryl Middleton – 1992, 1993, 2000
*Marc Gasol – 2008
All-ACB Team
*Marc Gasol – 2008
All LEB Oro First Team
*Levi Rost – 2011

Sponsors

* 1987–1998: Valvi Supermercats, the club was renamed ''Valvi Girona''
* 1998–1999: No sponsor, the club was renamed ''Girona Gavis''
* 1999–2005: Casademont, the club was renamed ''Casademont Girona''
* 2005–2008: Akasvayu, the club was renamed ''Akasvayu Girona''
* 2008–2010: No sponsor, the club was renamed ''CB Sant Josep Girona''
* 2010–2012: Girona FC, the club was renamed the name of the football team
* 2012–2013: No sponsor, the club was renamed ''CB Sant Josep Girona''

Notable players

* Joaquim Costa Puig
* Jordi Pardo
* Josep Cargol
* Duško Ivanović
* Francesc Solana
* Darryl Middleton
* Terrell Myers
* Xavi Fernàndez
* Rafael Jofresa
* Marc Gasol
* Dainius Šalenga
* Gregor Fučka
* Anthony Goldwire
* Marko Marinović
* Marko Kešelj
* Branko Jorović
* Xavi Vallmajó
* Pekka Markkanen
* Antti Nikkilä

Notable coaches

* Svetislav Pešić

Arena

CB Girona plays in Palau Girona-Fontajau, which has a capacity of 5,049 spectators. The arena was inaugurated in 1993 by NBA player Moses Malone, at a match between the local team Valvi Girona and PAOK Salonica.

Palau Girona-Fontajau

Supporter groups

* Dalinians
* Engaviats
* Penya Polska

"Girona a l'ACB" platform

"Girona a l'ACB" platform (translated from Catalan: ''Girona in ACB'') was created on May 23, 2008, by CB Girona fans. Its purpose was to support the team and the club so they could get rid of the debt and continue playing in the top Spanish division the next year. A website was created for that , and there were more than 10,500 signatures collected. Some protests were also made, like a demonstration with over 1,100 people, a basketball match in front of the city hall and a sit-down protest, amongst other actions. 300 T-shirts were also sold.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Girona
Basketball teams established in 1962
Basketball teams in Catalonia
CB Girona
Liga EBA teams
Former LEB Oro teams
Former Liga ACB teams
Basketball teams disestablished in 2013
Defunct basketball teams in Spain