Bandirma BIK
Wikipedia - Bandırma B.İ.K.
Bandırma Basketbol İhtisas Kulübü (English: Bandırma Basketball Specialization Club), for sponsorship reasons Teksüt Bandırma, was a Turkish professional basketball team from Bandırma, Turkey. Their home arena is the Kara Ali Acar Sport Hall.
Founded in 1994 as Banvit B.K., the team played in the highest level Basketbol Süper Ligi since 2004. The team reached the Süper Ligi finals in 2013 and won the Turkish Cup in 2017. Banvit was also a regular in European competitions, with their best result being Basketball Champions League runners-up in 2017.
The team was dissolved in 2021 due to financial issues.
History
The Banvit basketball club was founded in 1994, by workers at Banvit, a meat company based in Bandirma. The team began playing in the Turkish regional leagues in 1998, and were promoted to the Turkish second division in 2001. In 2004, the team was promoted to the Turkish top-tier level BSL, as champions of the second division.
The team played in the European-wide fourth-tier level FIBA EuroCup Challenge, in their first BSL season, and reached the league's semifinal. The team has reached the semifinal of the BSL five times, and reached the final of the Turkish Cup twice. In the 2012–13 season, the team beat Beşiktaş, in the quarterfinal series, and beat Anadolu Efes in the semifinal series of the BSL playoffs, and reached the league's finals, where they lost against Galatasaray Medical Park 4–1. In the next season, Banvit qualified for the Qualifying Round of the EuroLeague 2013–14 season. But they lost in the qualification round against Telenet Oostende, and were dropped down to the second-tier level EuroCup.[]
In the 2016–17 season, Banvit played in the inaugural season of the Basketball Champions League. In the competition, it reached the championship game of the Final Four in Tenerife, Banvit's first European final. Banvit lost 63–59 to host team Iberostar Tenerife.
On 1 June 2019, Banvit B.B. changed its club name to Bandırma B.İ.K. On 19 July, a sponsorship agreement was announced which would name the team Teksüt Bandırma for the 2019–20 season. However, on August 21, 2020, Teksüt Bandırma announced that they withdrew from Basketbol Süper Ligi due to financial issues.
Bandirma BIK has a strong roster of talented players, including both Turkish and international players. The team is known for its fast-paced and aggressive style of play, with a focus on strong defense and quick transitions. The team's head coach, Ömer Uğurata, is a respected figure in Turkish basketball and has led the team to several successful seasons.
In recent years, Bandirma BIK has established itself as a competitive force in the Turkish Basketball Super League, consistently finishing in the top half of the league standings. The team has also had success in international competitions, including the FIBA Europe Cup and the Basketball Champions League.
Off the court, Bandirma BIK is known for its strong community involvement and commitment to promoting basketball at the grassroots level. The team regularly hosts clinics and camps for young players, and works closely with local schools and youth organizations to promote the sport. Overall, Bandirma BIK is a respected and successful basketball team with a strong commitment to both on-court excellence and community engagement.