KB Tirana | |||
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Nickname | Bardheblutë (The White and Blues) | ||
Leagues |
Albanian Superliga Balkan League Albanian Cup |
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Founded | 1946 | ||
History | 1946–present | ||
Arena | Tirana Olympic Park | ||
Capacity | 1,200 | ||
Location | Tiranë, Albania | ||
Team colors | Blue, White |
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President | Spiro Koleka | ||
Vice-president(s) | Angelo Koleka | ||
Team manager | Melzin Lazimi | ||
Head coach | Nikola Milatović | ||
Championships |
19 Albanian Superligas 17 Albanian Cups 8 Albanian Supercups |
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Uniforms | |||
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Active branches of KF Tirana | |||
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Football (Men's) | Football (Women's) | Football (B team) | |
Football (Youth) | Futsal | Basketball (Men's) | |
Basketball (Women's) | Volleyball (Men's) | Volleyball (Women's) |
KB Tirana is an Albanian professional basketball team based in Tiranë, which is the basketball branch of SK Tirana. They compete in the Albanian Basketball Superliga of the Albanian Basketball League and the Balkan International Basketball League. The club plays its home domestic games at the Farie Hoti Sports Palace, and they play their international games at the Asllan Rusi Sports Palace. Tirana are one of the most successful teams in the history of Albanian basketball, having won the Albanian League 19 times, the Albanian Cup 17 times and the Albanian Supercups 8 times. They have won a total of 44 trophies, and only BC Partizani Tirana have won more in Albania with 48.
On 15 August 1920, shortly after Tirana became the capital city of Albania, patriot and football enthusiast Palokë Nika, who had already formed Vllaznia Shkodër built and trained a new team in Tirana, with A. Erebara, P. Jakova, A. Hoxha, Anastas Koja, P. Berisha, Avni Zajmi, H. Fortuzi, B. Pazari, L. Berisha, S. Frasheri, H. Alizoti, A. Gjitomi, and V. Fekeci. The name of the team was Gjurmuesit Republikanë, which a few months later was changed into Agimi Sports Association. The name Agimi (in English: Dawn), was taken from the building in the centre of Tirana near to where they would hold meetings. In 1925 the association's governing council was elected and its members were Avni Zajmi, Selman Stërmasi, B. Toptani, Irfan Gjinali and Anastas Koja. On 16 August 1927, which was the seventh anniversary of the formation of the Agimi Sports Association, the club's name changed into Sportklub Tirana, which would be commonly referred to as SK Tirana. On that day the president of the club was Teki Selenica. Although SK Tirana's early history was dominated by its emphasis on its football department, basketball was experiencing a rise in popularity in Albania at the time and basketball clubs across the country were being set up and friendly games were occasionally being played between clubs from different cities.