Vytautas Prienai–Birštonas | |
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Leagues |
Lithuanian Basketball League Baltic Basketball League FIBA Europe Cup |
Founded | 1994 |
History |
Prienų bankas 1994–1999 Prienai 1994–2007, 2012–2013, 2014–2015 Rūdupis 2007–2012 TonyBet 2013–2014 Vytautas 2015–present |
Arena | Prienai Arena |
Capacity | 1,500 |
Location | Prienai, Lithuania |
Team colors |
Navy blue and White |
President | Norbertas Pranckus |
Head coach | Virginijus Šeškus |
Championships |
1 BBL Champions 1 NKL Champions 2 LKF Cup 2 Lithuanian Basketball League |
Website | bcvytautas |
Uniforms | |
BC Prienai (Lithuanian: Krepšinio klubas Prienai), also known by the sponsor name BC Vytautas, is a professional basketball club based in Prienai and more recently taking up Birštonas. They play domestically in Lithuanian Basketball League and also compete in the Baltic Basketball League every year. During the 2008–09 season, then called Rūdupis they became the champion of the NKL and won the challenge match for a slot in the LKL. In their debut LKL season Rūdupis took seventh place, while next two seasons brought BC Prienai two bronze LKL medals. BC Prienai played in EuroCup 2011–12 with moderate success; the team managed to win 3 games out of 6, but nonetheless failed to qualify for the next stage. More recently, the team has become a strong competitor in domestic tournaments, more than once upsetting teams such as Žalgiris Kaunas and Lietuvos rytas Vilnius. Vytautas has signed American basketball players LaMelo Ball and LiAngelo Ball. Their contracts begin in January 2018.
The club was founded in 1994 as KK Prienų Taupomasis Bankas playing in the LKAL and were one of the top teams. They joined the NKL ever since its foundation in 2005. During this time period in the NKL, the team would change names as it seemed every season, Prienai had their ups and downs, such as going from third seed in their group to not making the playoffs next season, but the major victories were yet to come.
During 2008–09 season, then called Rūdupis, the club, for the first time in the club history, became NKL champions downing Meresta Pakruojis in Game 7 of the finals. Because of that, BC Rūdupis got their slot in the Lithuanian Basketball League.