Krka Basketball Club

Infobox Basketball club
name=KK Krka
nickname=
logo=
location=Novo mesto, Slovenia
color2=green
color1=white
president=Marjan Erpe
coach=Rade Mijanović
arena=Leon Štukelj Hall
website=http://www.basket.krka.si/si/
colors=Green and white| h_pattern_b= _thinsidesonwhite
h_body= 46844C
h_shorts= FFFFFF
a_pattern_b=
a_body= 46844C
a_shorts= 46844C
founded=1948
leagues=UPC Telemach League
history=

Krka Basketball Club ( _sl. Košarkarski klub Krka) is a basketball team from Novo Mesto, Slovenia.

The first basketball club in Novo mesto was founded in 1948, but not until 1983, the year of its 35th anniversary, was the city able to celebrate the conquer of the Slovenian national championship. After that triumph, however, basketball saw a decline in Novo Mesto that lasted until after the separation of the Slovenian Republic from the former Yugoslavia. Soon the team was climbing through the second division to rejoin the Slovenian First League in 1997, when it also took the name of its sponsor, Krka. A fourth-place finish in the national league and third in the Slovenian Cup allowed the club to qualify for the Korać Cup for 1998/99. The big breakthrough came a year later, however, as Krka defeated historical rival Olimpija Ljubljana in the Slovenian playoff finals to win the national title. That year, the team also played the Saporta Cup and reached third place in the Slovenian Cup. In 2000/01, Krka consolidated its strength, but nonetheless fell to Olimpija in the finals. In 2001/02, Krka qualified for the Euroleague in a pre-season tournament and made its mark in a group of superpowers. Though Krka missed the Top 16, it was able to defeat all its opponents once, including names like Real Madrid, Panathinaikos, PBC CSKA Moscow and Skipper Bologna. At home, Krka finished second in the Goodyear league, in the Slovenian Championship and in the national cup, losing all three times to Olimpija Ljubljana. Last season changed that trend, however. Krka zoomed to the 2003 ULEB Cup double finals , narrowly losing to Pamesa Valencia despite being the only ULEB Cup team to win in Valencia. Krka then flexed its muscles, upsetting Olimpija for its second Slovenian crown. Novo Mesto will continue to battle without fear, making the continent's major powers take notice of its remarkable accomplishments.

Current roster

Notable successes

Slovenian champions of Slovenian First League in 1999/00 and 2002/03.

Notable players

Most notable players in the recent years were:
Jamie Arnold, Jaka Lakovič, Matjaž Smodiš, Sani Bečirović.

Notable coaches

Most notable coaches in the recent years were:
Neven Spahija and Petar Skansi.

External links

*sl icon [http://www.basket.krka.si/si/ Official site]