Fortitudo Bologna

Fortitudo Bologna
Fortitudo Pallacanestro Bologna 103, commonly known as Fortitudo Bologna and currently known as Fortitudo Kiğılı Bologna for sponsorship reasons, is a basketball club based in Bologna, Italy and currently plays in the second division.
History
Fortitudo has for much of its history played second fiddle in its own city to arch rivals Virtus Bologna, with whom it contests the fierce Bologna Derby. Fortitudo won its first major trophy in 1998, winning the Italian Cup.
Fortitudo made the Italian league finals ten consecutive years (1997–2006). After three straight finals losses, Fortitudo won the Serie A for the first time in 2000. Four consecutive finals losses were followed by Fortitudo's second league title in 2005, courtesy of a 3–1 win over Armani Jeans Milano in the finals series when instant replay upheld a Ruben Douglas buzzer beater in Game 4 of the championship series.
In recent years, Fortitudo had been a fixture in the European top-tier Euroleague. Fortitudo's first achievement in European competition was a FIBA Korać Cup final against Jugoplastika in 1977 in their maiden participation. It got to the Euroleague Final four in 1999 (losing in the semifinal against city rivals Kinder Bologna and in third place game against Olympiacos) and the semifinal of the Euroleague playoffs in 2001 (again eliminated by rivals Virtus); then the club lost in the Euroleague final in 2004 to Maccabi Tel Aviv by 44 points. The 2006–07 season saw them change coaches thrice as they finished thirteenth (out of eighteen), though they still qualified for the 2007–08 ULEB Cup.
Due to economic irregularities, upon Fortitudo's relegation from the 2008–09 season, the team was not allowed to participate in the 2009–10 Serie A2, restarting from the Serie A dilettanti. After winning that league, Fortitudo was once again excluded from Serie A2 and the club's affiliation to the Italian Federation revoked. As such, Fortitudo was barred from playing in any league, save for youth development leagues.
The Rebirth and return to the top flight
On 18 June 2013, a group of local entrepreneurs, professionals and fans joined to give life to Fortitudo Pallacanestro Bologna 103, the spiritual successor (with the same fan base such as the Fossa dei Leoni fan group) of the original entity. Starting from the fourth division DNB, Fortitudo climbed to the second division Serie A2 where it played during the 2015–16 season.
After a successful campaign in 2018–19, the club qualified for promotion to Serie A for the first time since its 2009 dissolution. They later qualified to the 2020–21 Basketball Champions League, but they finished last in their group. In the 2021–22 season, they finished in the 15th position to be relegated to Serie A2.
Honours
Domestic competitions
Italian League
Winners (2): 1999–00, 2004–05
Italian Cup
Winners (1): 1997–98
Italian Supercup
Winners (2): 1998, 2005
European competitions
EuroLeague
Runners-up (1): 2003–04
Semifinalists (1): 2000–01
4th place (1): 1998–99
Final Four (2): 1999, 2004
FIBA Korać Cup
Runners-up (1): 1976–77
Semifinalists (1): 1995–96
Other competitions
Copa de Andata Carisbo
Winners (1): 2007
Via Resa, Italy Invitational Game
Winners (1): 2007
Top performances in European & Worldwide competitions
Retired numbers
Players
Current roster
Depth chart
Notable players
John D. Douglas
- George Bucci
Andrea Dallamora
- Wallace Bryant
Daniele Albertazzi
Moris Masetti
Bill Garnett
Artis Gilmore
Vincent Askew
Gene Banks
Chris McNealy
Dave Feitl
Pete Myers
Cedrick Hordges
Valdemaras Chomičius
Teoman Alibegović
Shaun Vandiver
Dallas Comegys
Corrado Fumagalli
Dan Gay
Vincenzo Esposito
Aleksandar Đorđević
Carlton Myers
Alessandro Frosini
Mike Brown
Conrad McRae
Eric Murdock
Gregor Fučka
Giacomo Galanda
Roberto Chiacig
David Rivers
Dominique Wilkins
Gianluca Basile
Marko Jarić
Artūras Karnišovas
Damir Mulaomerović
Vinny Del Negro
Stojko Vranković
Anthony Bowie
Eddie Gill
Eurelijus Žukauskas
Vassil Evtimov
Emilio Kovačić
John Celestand
Anthony Goldwire
Dan McClintock
Marko Milič
Rumeal Robinson
Zoran Savić
Stefano Mancinelli
Gianmarco Pozzecco
Carlos Delfino
A. J. Guyton
Luboš Bartoň
Vlado Šćepanović
Mate Skelin
Davor Marcelić
Marco Belinelli
Erazem Lorbek
Matjaž Smodiš
Miloš Vujanić
Hanno Möttölä
Dalibor Bagarić
Amal McCaskill
Ruben Douglas
Nate Green
Sani Bečirovič
Yakhouba Diawara
Kiwane Garris
Travis Watson
- David Bluthenthal
Alain Digbeu
Tyus Edney
Goran Jurak
Jérôme Moïso
Moochie Norris
Preston Shumpert
Kristaps Janičenoks
Earl Barron
Marcelinho Huertas
Kieron Achara
Jamont Gordon
Uroš Slokar
Joseph Forte
James Thomas
Qyntel Woods
D. J. Strawberry
Lazaros Papadopoulos
Davide Lamma
Marco Carraretto
Stefano Mancinelli
Players at the NBA draft
Head coaches
Beppe Lamberti (1966–1973)
Dido Guerrieri (1973–1974)
Alberto Bucci (1974)
Aza Nikolić (1974–1976)
John McMillen (1976–1980)
Mauro Di Vincenzo (1980–1981)
Dodo Rusconi (1981–1983)
Rudy D'Amico (1983)
Francesco Zucchini and Andrea Sassoli (1983–1984)
Andrea Sassoli (1984–1988)
Mauro Di Vincenzo (1988–1990)
Stefano Pillastrini (1990-1992)
Lino Bruni
Marco Calamai
Dario Bellandi
Sergio Scariolo (1993-1996)
Valerio Bianchini (1996-1998)
Petar Skansi (1998-1999)
Carlo Recalcati (1999-2001)
Matteo Boniciolli (2001-2002)
Jasmin Repeša (2002-2006)
Fabrizio Frates (2006)
Ergin Ataman (2006-2007)
Massimiliano Oldoini / Dan Gay (2007)
Andrea Mazzon (2007-2008)
Dragan Šakota (2008)
Cesare Pancotto (2008-2009)
Alessandro Finelli
Antonio Tinti
Federico Politi
Claudio Vandoni
Matteo Boniciolli (2015-2018)
Gianmarco Pozzecco (2018)
Antimo Martino (2018-2020, 2021-2022)
Romeo Sacchetti (2020)
Luca Dalmonte (2020-21, 2022-2023)
Attilio Caja (2023-)
Sponsorship names
Throughout the years, due to sponsorship, the club has been known as :
Cassera Bologna (1966–68)
Eldorado Bologna (1968–71)
Alco Bologna (1971–78)
Mercury Bologna (1978–80)
I&B Bologna (1980–81)
Lattesole Bologna (1981–83)
Yoga Bologna (1983–88)
Arimo Bologna (1988–90)
Aprimatic Bologna (1990–91)
Mangiaebevi Bologna (1991–93)
Filodoro Bologna (1993–95)
Teamsystem Bologna (1995–99)
Paf Wennington Bologna (1999–01)
Skipper Bologna (2001–04)
Climamio Bologna (2004–07)
UPIM Bologna [Domestically] (2007–08)
Beghelli Bologna [European competition] (2007–08)
GMAC Bologna [Domestically] (2008–09)
Fortitudo Bologna [European competition] (2008–09)
Amori Bologna (2009–10)
Tulipano Impianti Bologna (2013–14)
Eternedile Bologna (2014–16)
Contatto Bologna (2016–17)
Consultinvest Bologna (2017–18)
Lavoropiù Fortitudo Bologna (2018–19)
Fortitudo Pompea Bologna (2019–20)
Lavoropiù Fortitudo Bologna (2020–21)
Fortitudo Kiğılı Bologna (2021–present)
References
External links
Serie A historical results Retrieved 23 August 2015
Euroleague profile
Official Supporters Site
1932 establishments in Italy
Basketball teams established in 1932
Basketball teams in Emilia-Romagna
Sport in Bologna