# BC Yambol

BC Yambol (Bulgarian: БК „Ямбол“) is a Bulgarian professional basketball club based in Yambol. Founded in 1945, Yambol has won the Bulgarian championship once as Yambolgas. They play their home matches at the Diana Hall. The team is a regular first league participant. Former names of the club are Luskov, Tundja, Yambolen and Yambolgas.

## History

Founded in 1945, the club joined the third edition of the Bulgarian Championship to become the first participant of this basketball championship based outside of the capital Sofia.
In 1976 the club, as "Luskov"-Yambol, appointed Simeon Varchev as new head coach, who work there until 1980. He recruit some new young players including Georgi Glouchkov, the first bulgarian played in NBA. In 1977 they won the first medal for the club, third place in the Bulgarian Cup and in 1979 the bronze medal in Bulgarian Championship. In 1980 Georgi Glouchkov moved to PBC CSKA Sofia, captain of the team Ivan Angelov retired, and even though Varchev and Ivan Glavov (one of the leading playmakers in league the time) stayed, the club relegated in to the second tier.
Yambol stayed there until 1992, when it got promoted and since then remains in the top flight. The coach of the club was Ivan Cholakov, who was team head coach in two periods- 1989-2002 and 2004-2013. In 2002, with the name of Yambolgas by sponsorship reasons, the club won the Bulgarian Championship after winning to Lukoil Academic by 3–0 in the final series. After 29 years in the top flight, Yambol withdrew from NBL, due to financial difficulties, as well as the reconstruction of their Diana arena and the lack of an available alternative basketball hall. They participate in the second division for the 2024–25 season, mainly with players from their academy, and confirmed their intention of returning to the NBL for the 2025–26 season.

## Honours

* Bulgarian Championship
** Winners (1): 2002
** Runners-up (1): 2001
** Bronze medalist (5): 1979, 2000, 2003, 2011, 2012
* Bulgarian Cup
** Bronze medalist (4): 1977, 2000, 2001, 2002

## Roster 2022-2023

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

## In Europe

BC Yambol played in FIBA Korać Cup (2000, 2001), FIBA Europe Champions Cup for Men 2003/Conference South and NEBL Open 2001/2002.

## Season by season

| Season | Tier | Division | Pos. | Postseason | RS | PO | Bulgarian Cup |
| 1992–93 | 1 | A-1 | 8 | Quarterfinalist | 2–12 | 0-2 | Fourth |
| 1993–94 | 1 | A-1 | 12 | R16 | 12–18 | 0-2 | |
| 1994–95 | 2 | A-2 | | | | | |
| 1995–96 | 1 | A-1 | 7 | Quarterfinalist | 9–13 | 1-2 | First round |
| 1996–97 | 1 | A-1 | 8 | Quarterfinalist | 9–13 | 0-2 | |
| 1997–98 | 1 | A-1 | 7 | Quarterfinalist | 10–12 | 1-2 | |
| 1998–99 | 1 | A-1 | 4 | Fourth | 14–8 | 3-6 | Fourth |
| 1999–00 | 1 | A-1 | 3 | Third | 20–8 | 6-5 | Third |
| 2000–01 | 1 | A-1 | 2 | Runner-up | 23–5 | 5-4 | Third |
| 2001–02 | 1 | A-1 | 1 | Champion | 23–5 | 8–1 | Third |
| 2002–03 | 1 | A-1 | 3 | Third | 21–7 | 5–4 | Fourth |
| 2003–04 | 1 | A-1 | 7 | Quarterfinalist | 8-20 | 2–2 | Quarterfinalist |
| 2004–05 | 1 | A-1 | 5 | Quarterfinalist | 12–16 | 3–2 | Quarterfinalist |
| 2005–06 | 1 | A-1 | 3 | Fourth | 13–13 | 2–6 | Fourth |
| 2006–07 | 1 | A-1 | 7 | Quarterfinalist | 7–11 | 0–2 | Quarterfinalist |
| 2007–08 | 1 | A-1 | 7 | Quarterfinalist | 11–21 | 2–3 | Quarterfinalist |
| 2008–09 | 1 | NBL | 6 | Quarterfinalist | 7–17 | 1–2 | First round |
| 2009–10 | 1 | NBL | 4 | Quarterfinalist | 14–14 | 1–2 | Quarterfinalist |
| 2010–11 | 1 | NBL | 6 | Third | 10–18 | 4–3 | Fourth |
| 2011–12 | 1 | NBL | 3 | Third | 18–10 | 5–4 | Fourth |
| 2012–13 | 1 | NBL | 5 | Quarterfinalist | 13–14 | 1-2 | Fourth |
| 2013–14 | 1 | NBL | 5 | Quarterfinalist | 13–11 | 0–2 | Quarterfinalist |
| 2014–15 | 1 | NBL | 7 | Quarterfinalist | 8–16 | 1–2 | Fourth |
| 2015–16 | 1 | NBL | 8 | Quarterfinalist | 7-20 | 0-2 | Quarterfinalist |
| 2016–17 | 1 | NBL | 8 | Quarterfinalist | 7-17 | 0-2 | Quarterfinalist |
| 2017–18 | 1 | NBL | 7 | Quarterfinalist | 8-16 | 1-2 | Quarterfinalist |
| 2018–19 | 1 | NBL | 7 | Quarterfinalist | 8-16 | 0-2 | Quarterfinalist |
| 2019–20 | 1 | NBL | 10 | Canceled | 2-17 | | DNQ |
| 2020–21 | 1 | NBL | 7 | Quarterfinalist | 9-15 | 0-2 | Semifinalist |
| 2021–22 | 1 | NBL | 8 | Quarterfinalist | 9-18 | 0-2 | Quarterfinalist |
| 2022-23 | 1 | NBL | 9 | DNQ | 9-21 | DNQ | Quarterfinalist |
| 2023-24 | 1 | NBL | 10 | DNQ | 12-20 | DNQ | Quarterfinalist |
| 2023-24 | 2 | BBL | | | | | DNQ |

## Notable players

* Georgi Glouchkov
* Dimitar Angelov
* Georgi Stankov
* Valcho Yordanov
* Ivan Angelov
* Ivan Glavov
* Geno Plachkov
* Dimitar Dimitrov
* Georgi Kovachev
* Emil Stamenov
* Stanislav Govedarov
* Dimitar Horozov
* Decho Koeshinov
* Rumen Shopov
* Martin Durchev
* Pavel Marinov
* Yulian Radionov
* Nikolay Varbanov
* Pavlin Ivanov
* Franko Kaštropil
* Nemanja Milošević
* Ninoslav Tmušić
* Nenad Djorić
* Zoran Stevanovic
* John Ofoegbu
* Tony Gugino
* Yaroslav Zubrytskiy
* Volodymyr Ryzhov
* Sergey Grishaev
* Anatoliy Yasinskiy

## Head coaches

* Slavcho Slavov 1956-1959
* Dobri Rusev 1959-1960
* Ivan Stoyanov 1960-1964
* Blagoy Peev 1964-1965
* Ivan Stoyanov 1965-1969
* Velcho Petrov 1969-1972
* Valcho Yordanov 1972-1976
* Simeon Varchev 1976-1980
* Ivan Glavov 1980-1981
* Hristo Kostov 1981-1984
* Ivan Angelov 1984-1986
* Velcho Petrov 1986-1987
* Mityo Georgiev 1987-1989
* Ivan Cholakov 1989-2002$^1$
* Zoran Krečković 2002–2003
* Valeri Bachvarov 2003-2004
* Ivan Cholakov 2004-2013$^2$
* Yulian Radionov 2013–2015
* Petar Petrov 2015–2017$^3$
* Ivan Cholakov 2017–2020
* Toni Dechev 2020–2022
* Aleksander Aleksiev 2022–2023
* Toni Dechev 2023–2024
* Aleksander Aleksiev 2024–Present
$^1$During the 2001–02 season, Vitaly Lebedintsev coached 6 regular season games. Lebedintsev was fired in November 2001, and Ivan Cholakov coached the remaining season games. $^2$During the 2010–11 season, Ivailo Stoimenov coached 7 regular season games. Stoimenov resigned on November 29, 2010, and Ivan Cholakov coached the remaining season games. $^3$During the 2015–16 season, Ninoslav Marjanovic coached 9 regular season games. Marjanovic resigned on December 5, 2015.