UCAM
Universidad Católica de Murcia Club de Baloncesto,
S.A.D.,
more commonly referred to as UCAM Murcia, is a professional
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...
team based in
Murcia
Murcia (, , ) is a city in south-eastern Spain, the capital and most populous city of the autonomous community of the Region of Murcia, and the seventh largest city in the country. It has a population of 460,349 inhabitants in 2021 (about one ...
,
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
. It plays their home games at
Palacio de Deportes.
History
Founded in 1985 under the name Agrupación Deportiva Júver, Murcia agreed with a Madrid-based club, Logos de Madrid, to buy out its rights to play in the Spanish second division. Murcia would play at that level for four consecutive seasons and its first superstar was do-it-all big man
Randy Owens.
In 1990, Murcia, led by veteran center
Mike Phillips, beat
Obradoiro in a playoffs series to gain promotion to the
Spanish League. The club would stay in the Spanish elite for the next seven seasons, with stars likes Ralph McPherson,
Clarence Kea
Clarence Leroy Kea (born February 2, 1959) is an American former professional basketball player. He was a 6'6" (1.98 m) 218 lb (99 kg) power forward.
High school
Born in Wilmington, North Carolina, Kea attended New Hanover High School, ...
,
Michael Anderson and
Johnny Rogers
John Bernard Rogers Bakker (born December 30, 1963) is a Spanish-American former professional basketball player. Rogers played college basketball at Stanford University and at the University of California, Irvine. Listed at a height of 6'10" and ...
and head coaches like Felipe Coello, José María Oleart and
Moncho Monsalve
Ramón Marcos Enrique Monserrat (born 4 March 1988), better known by his stage name Moncho, is a Swedish rapper, singer, and songwriter. He competed in Melodifestivalen 2018 with the song "Cuba Libre", and qualified to andra chansen. He is the br ...
. In December 1991,
Kea
The kea (; ; ''Nestor notabilis'') is a species of large parrot in the family Nestoridae found in the forested and alpine regions of the South Island of New Zealand. About long, it is mostly olive-green with a brilliant orange under its wing ...
pulled down 29 rebounds, which remains a
Spanish League record, in a win against
Breogán Lugo.
The club became CB Murcia in 1993 and moved to its current arena,
Palacio de Deportes, the following season. Murcia organized the
Copa del Rey
The Campeonato de España–Copa de Su Majestad el Rey, commonly known as Copa del Rey or simply La Copa and formerly known as Copa del Presidente de la República (1932–36) and Copa del Generalísimo (1939–76), is an annual knockout footb ...
tournament in the
1995–96 season and made it to the
semifinals
A single-elimination, knockout, or sudden death tournament is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of each match-up is immediately eliminated from the tournament. Each winner will play another in the next round, until the final mat ...
. Murcia went down to the
Spanish second division
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...
at the end of the
1996–97 season, but reached the Spanish elite a couple of times, including in 2006, when it downed
CAI Zaragoza
Basket Zaragoza 2002 S.A.D., more commonly referred to as Basket Zaragoza and as Casademont Zaragoza for sponsorship reasons, is a professional basketball club based in Zaragoza, Spain. The team plays in the Liga ACB. Their home arena is th ...
in overtime in a do-or-die game to advance. Led by Jimmie Hunter and Juanjo Triguero, Murcia ranked 12th in the
2007–08 season, but went back to the
second division
In sport, the Second Division, also called Division 2 or Division II is usually the second highest division of a league, and will often have promotion and relegation with divisions above and below. Following the rise of Premier League style compet ...
two years later. Murcia bounced back to score promotion directly with a 30–4 record, and has been in the Spanish elite even since.
In 2013, the club switched hands and
UCAM Murcia took control. That moved helped Murcia shine in the last couple of seasons for its best results ever. With Diego Ocampo as head coach and
Scott Bamforth
Scott Douglas Bamforth (born August 12, 1989) is an American-Kosovan professional basketball player for Victoria Libertas Pesaro of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA).
Standing at 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m), he plays at the shooting guard positi ...
,
Raulzinho Neto
Raul "Raulzinho" Togni Neto (; born 19 May 1992) is a Brazilian professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is also a member of the senior men's Brazilian national basketball team ...
and
Carlos Cabezas as its top newcomers, Murcia finished the
Spanish regular season with a 17–17 record, which was just one win from the playoffs. Last season Murcia found a new coach in
Fotios Katsikaris
Fotios Katsikaris (alternate spelling: Fotis) (Greek: Φώτιος Κατσικάρης, born 16 May 1967) is a Greek professional basketball coach and a former professional basketball player, he was most recently head coach for the Unicaja Málag ...
and added more experienced players like
Facundo Campazzo
Facundo "Facu" Campazzo Avedano (born 23 March 1991) is an Argentine professional basketball player for Crvena zvezda of the Adriatic League and the EuroLeague.
At a height of tall, he plays at the point guard position. He is also a member of ...
,
Serhiy Lishchuk
Serhiy Lishchuk (alternate spelling: Sergei Lishouk) ( ua, Сергій Ліщук; born March 31, 1982) is a Ukrainian retired basketball player. Lishchuk played 18 seasons as a professional player in Ukraine and Spain.
Professional career
Euro ...
and
Vítor Faverani
Vítor Luiz Faverani Tatsch (born May 5, 1988) is a Brazilian professional basketball player who plays for Flamengo of the Novo Basquete Brasil (NBB). He has also represented Brazil in international competition and holds a Spanish passport.
Pro ...
. That led to a seventh-place finish with an 18–16 record and a ticket to the quarterfinals for the first time in the club's history, where it lost 2–1 to
Real Madrid in the
quarterfinals
A single-elimination, knockout, or sudden death tournament is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of each match-up is immediately eliminated from the tournament. Each winner will play another in the next round, until the final matc ...
, but earned the right to make its debut in European competitions in the
2016–17 EuroCup.
In its European debut, UCAM Murcia reached the Top 16 round.
In the next season, the club joined the
Basketball Champions League
The Basketball Champions League (BCL) is an annual professional basketball competition for European clubs, organised by FIBA. It is the top-level competition organised by FIBA Europe, therefore the champion participates in the FIBA Intercont ...
, reaching the
Final Four in its first participation. Murcia lost to
AEK
A.E.K ( el, AEK , formally Αθλητική Ένωσις Κωνσταντινουπόλεως; Athlitikí Énosis Konstantinoupόleos, ''Athletic Union of Constantinople''), known as A.E.K, is a major Greek multi-sport club based in Nea Filadelf ...
in the semifinals and won the third place game over
MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg
Riesen Ludwigsburg ( en, Giants Ludwigsburg), for sponsorship reasons MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg, is a professional basketball club that is based in Ludwigsburg, Germany. The club currently plays in the Basketball Bundesliga (BBL), the first tier of ...
.
Sponsorship naming
CB Murcia has received diverse sponsorship names along the years:
*Juver Murcia: 1985–1992
*CB Murcia Artel: 1997–1998
*Recreativos Orenes CB Murcia: 1998–1999
*CB Etosa/Etosa Murcia: 2000–2003
*
Polaris World CB Murcia: 2003–2008
*
UCAM Murcia: 2011–present
Logos
Home arenas
*Pabellón Príncipe Felipe: (1985–94)
*
Palacio de Deportes: (1994–present)
Players
Current roster
Depth chart
Head coaches
*Felipe Coello: 1985–1991, 1991–1992, 1992, 1998, 2002–2004
*
Moncho Monsalve
Ramón Marcos Enrique Monserrat (born 4 March 1988), better known by his stage name Moncho, is a Swedish rapper, singer, and songwriter. He competed in Melodifestivalen 2018 with the song "Cuba Libre", and qualified to andra chansen. He is the br ...
: 1991, 1993
*
Clifford Luyk
Clifford Luyk Diem (born June 28, 1941) is an American-born Spanish retired professional basketball player and coach, who played professionally in Spain and Europe from 1962 to 1978. He played college basketball for the University of Florida. ...
: 1991
*Fernando Sánchez Luengo: 1991
*Iñaki Iriarte: 1992
*José María Oleart: 1993–1996, 2002
*Ricardo Hevia: 1996
*Alberto Sanz: 1996–1997
*Manolo Flores: 1998–2000
*Pepe Rodríguez: 2000–2002
*Miguel Ángel Martín: 2004
*Iván Déniz: 2004–2005
*Chete Pazo: 2005
*Manel Comas: 2005–2006
*Manolo Hussein: 2006–2009
*
Moncho Fernández: 2009
*
Edu Torres
Eduard Torres Girbau (born May 26, 1964) is a Spanish professional basketball coach. He is currently the head coach of the Thai national team.
Coach career
*1985–86 Joventut Badalona (youth team)
*1987–96 Festina Andorra
*1997–99 Cl ...
: 2009–2010
*Luis Guil: 2010–2012
*Óscar Quintana: 2012–2014, 2016–2017
*
Marcelo Nicola: 2014
*Diego Ocampo: 2014–2015
*
Fotios Katsikaris
Fotios Katsikaris (alternate spelling: Fotis) (Greek: Φώτιος Κατσικάρης, born 16 May 1967) is a Greek professional basketball coach and a former professional basketball player, he was most recently head coach for the Unicaja Málag ...
: 2015–2016, 2017
*
Ibon Navarro: 2017–2018
*Javier Juárez: 2018–2019
*
Sito Alonso: 2019–present
Season by season
Trophies and awards
Domestic competitions
*2nd division championships: (4)
**1ª División B: (1) 1990
**
LEB Oro LEB or Leb may refer to:
* Lausanne–Echallens–Bercher railway, Switzerland
* Lebanon, UNDP country code
* Lebanon Municipal Airport (New Hampshire) (FAA identifier)
* Lexham English Bible
* Life expectancy at birth
* Liga Española de Balonce ...
: (3)
1998
1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''.
Events January
* January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently s ...
,
2003,
2011
*
Copa Príncipe de Asturias
The Copa Princesa de Asturias de Baloncesto (English: ''Princess of Asturias' Cup of Basketball'') is an annual 2nd-tier level national cup competition for Spanish professional basketball teams, that is organized by Spain's 2nd-tier level professi ...
: (1)
**2006
European competitions
*
Basketball Champions League
The Basketball Champions League (BCL) is an annual professional basketball competition for European clubs, organised by FIBA. It is the top-level competition organised by FIBA Europe, therefore the champion participates in the FIBA Intercont ...
**Third place (1):
2017–18
Other competitions
*Yecla, Spain Invitational Game: (1)
**2014
Individual awards
ACB Three Point Shootout Champion
*Pedro Robles – 2009
All-ACB Second Team
*
Facundo Campazzo
Facundo "Facu" Campazzo Avedano (born 23 March 1991) is an Argentine professional basketball player for Crvena zvezda of the Adriatic League and the EuroLeague.
At a height of tall, he plays at the point guard position. He is also a member of ...
– 2017
LEB Oro MVP
*Tony Smith – 1998
All LEB Oro First Team
*Pedro Rivero – 2011
Notable players
*
José Ángel Antelo
*
Carlos Cabezas
*
Rodrigo San Miguel
Rodrigo San Miguel (born 21 January 1985) is a Spanish professional basketball player for CB San Pablo Burgos of the LEB Oro.
Professional career
San Miguel was formed at Stadium Casablanca, team of Zaragoza. After playing one year with the top ...
*
Yanick Moreira
Yanick Pires Moreira (born July 31, 1991) is an Angolan professional basketball player for Kolossos Rodou of the Greek Basket League. He played two seasons of college basketball for the SMU Mustangs.
Early life and college career
From 2008 to ...
*
Facundo Campazzo
Facundo "Facu" Campazzo Avedano (born 23 March 1991) is an Argentine professional basketball player for Crvena zvezda of the Adriatic League and the EuroLeague.
At a height of tall, he plays at the point guard position. He is also a member of ...
*
Federico Kammerichs
*
Federico Van Lacke
*
David Barlow
*
Vítor Benite
Vítor Alves Benite (born February 20, 1990), commonly known as Vítor Benite, or simply as Benite, is a Brazilian-Italian professional basketball player for CB Gran Canaria, Gran Canaria of the Spanish Liga ACB and EuroCup Basketball, EuroCup. A ...
*
Vítor Faverani
Vítor Luiz Faverani Tatsch (born May 5, 1988) is a Brazilian professional basketball player who plays for Flamengo of the Novo Basquete Brasil (NBB). He has also represented Brazil in international competition and holds a Spanish passport.
Pro ...
*
Augusto Lima
Augusto César Lima Brito (born September 17, 1991) is a Brazilian-Spanish professional basketball player for Unicaja of the Liga ACB. He is 6'10" (2.08m) tall and he can play as either a power forward or a center. He is left handed, but at ...
*
Raulzinho Neto
Raul "Raulzinho" Togni Neto (; born 19 May 1992) is a Brazilian professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is also a member of the senior men's Brazilian national basketball team ...
*
Bojan Bogdanović
Bojan Bogdanović (; born 18 April 1989) is a Croatian professional basketball player for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He also represents the Croatian national team internationally. Standing at , he plays t ...
*
Kim Tillie
*
Blagota Sekulić
*
Ime Udoka
Ime Sunday Udoka ( ; born August 9, 1977) is a Nigerian-American professional basketball coach and former player who is the head coach for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA), currently suspended by the team for the ...
*
Thomas Kelati
*
Miloš Vujanić
Miloš Vujanić ( sr-cyr, Милош Вујанић; born November 13, 1980) is a Serbian professional basketball coach and former player. A two-time All-EuroLeague selection, he won the EuroLeague championship with Panathinaikos, in 2007.
Pr ...
*
Anton Gavel
Anton Gavel (born October 24, 1984) is a Slovak-German professional basketball coach and former player. He is a 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) tall combo guard who primarily played at the shooting guard position. He is head coach for ratiopharm Ulm of t ...
*
Goran Dragić
Goran Dragić (born 6 May 1986) is a Slovenian professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "the Dragon", he had played professional basketball in Slovenia and Spain before entering ...
*
James Augustine
James Augustine (born February 27, 1984) is a retired American professional basketball player who played as a forward. During the career he played college basketball for the Illinois Fighting Illini before being drafted 41st overall in the 2006 N ...
*
Johnny Rogers
John Bernard Rogers Bakker (born December 30, 1963) is a Spanish-American former professional basketball player. Rogers played college basketball at Stanford University and at the University of California, Irvine. Listed at a height of 6'10" and ...
*
Michael Anderson (basketball)
Michael Levin Anderson (born March 23, 1966) is an American former professional basketball player for Drexel University, the NBA, Spain's professional Liga ACB, the Continental Basketball Association (CBA), the Greek Basket League and the Turkis ...
*
Corey Crowder
*
Marcus Fizer
Darnell Marcus Lamar Fizer (born August 10, 1978) is an American former professional basketball player.
High school career
Fizer played high school basketball at Arcadia High School in Arcadia, Louisiana. As a senior, Fizer was selected to play ...
*
Matt Nover
*
Lou Roe
Louis Marquel Roe (born July 14, 1972) is an American former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Spanish Liga ACB, among other leagues. He was an All-American college player at the Unive ...
*
Andre Turner
Andre Devalle Turner (born March 13, 1964) is an American former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is currently the head coach for Lane College. A 5'11", point guard, he played collegi ...
*
Donatas Slanina
Donatas Slanina (born 23 April 1977) is a Lithuanian professional basketball player who plays as a shooting guard in his professional career. He also shortly worked as an assistant coach. After starting his professional career in Šiauliai, he wa ...
*
Tomas Delininkaitis
Tomas Delininkaitis (born June 11, 1982) is a Lithuanian professional basketball player. He was a member of the Lithuanian national basketball team at the 2010 FIBA World Championship . He is 1.90 m (6 ft 2 in) and weighs 82 kg.
Profe ...
*
Martynas Pocius
Martynas Pocius (born 28 April 1986) is a Lithuanian retired professional basketball player. He was also a member of the Lithuanian national basketball team.
Early life and high school
Martynas Pocius was born in Vilnius to Gintaras, a basketba ...
References
External links
Official websiteUCAM Murciaat
ACB.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:UCAM Murcia
Basketball teams in the Region of Murcia
Liga ACB teams
Basketball teams established in 1985
Former LEB Oro teams
1985 establishments in Spain