Fortitudo Bologna

Fortitudo Pallacanestro Bologna 103, commonly known as Fortitudo Bologna and currently known as Fortitudo Flats Service Bologna for sponsorship reasons, is a basketball club based in Bologna, Italy and currently plays in the second division.

History

Fortitudo has for much of its history played second fiddle in its own city to arch rivals Virtus Bologna, with whom it contests the fierce Bologna Derby. Fortitudo won its first major trophy in 1998, winning the Italian Cup.

Fortitudo made the Italian league finals ten consecutive years (1997–2006). After three straight finals losses, Fortitudo won the Serie A for the first time in 2000. Four consecutive finals losses were followed by Fortitudo's second league title in 2005, courtesy of a 3–1 win over Armani Jeans Milano in the finals series when instant replay upheld a Ruben Douglas buzzer beater in Game 4 of the championship series.

In recent years, Fortitudo had been a fixture in the European top-tier Euroleague. Fortitudo's first achievement in European competition was a FIBA Korać Cup final against Jugoplastika in 1977 in their maiden participation. It got to the Euroleague Final four in 1999 (losing in the semifinal against city rivals Kinder Bologna and in third place game against Olympiacos) and the semifinal of the Euroleague playoffs in 2001 (again eliminated by rivals Virtus); then the club lost in the Euroleague final in 2004 to Maccabi Tel Aviv by 44 points. The 2006–07 season saw them change coaches three times as they finished thirteenth (out of eighteen), though they still qualified for the 2007–08 ULEB Cup.

Due to economic irregularities, upon Fortitudo's relegation from the 2008–09 season, the team was not allowed to participate in the 2009–10 Serie A2, restarting from the Serie A dilettanti. After winning that league, Fortitudo was once again excluded from Serie A2 and the club's affiliation to the Italian Federation revoked. As such, Fortitudo was barred from playing in any league, save for youth development leagues.

The Rebirth and return to the top flight

On 18 June 2013, a group of local entrepreneurs, professionals and fans joined to give life to Fortitudo Pallacanestro Bologna 103, the spiritual successor (with the same fan base such as the Fossa dei Leoni fan group) of the original entity. Starting from the fourth division DNB, Fortitudo climbed to the second division Serie A2 where it played during the 2015–16 season.

After a successful campaign in 2018–19, the club qualified for promotion to Serie A for the first time since its 2009 dissolution. They later qualified to the 2020–21 Basketball Champions League, but they finished last in their group. In the 2021–22 season, they finished in the 15th position to be relegated to Serie A2.

Honours

Domestic competitions

* Italian League
: Winners (2): 1999–00, 2004–05
* Italian Cup
: Winners (1): 1997–98
* Italian Supercup
: Winners (2): 1998, 2005

European competitions

* EuroLeague
: Runners-up (1): 2003–04
: Semifinalists (1): 2000–01
: 4th place (1): 1998–99
: Final Four (2): 1999, 2004
* FIBA Korać Cup
: Runners-up (1): 1976–77
: Semifinalists (1): 1995–96

Other competitions

* Copa de Andata Carisbo
: Winners (1): 2007
* Via Resa, Italy Invitational Game
: Winners (1): 2007

Top performances in European & Worldwide competitions

Retired numbers

Players

Current roster

Depth chart

Notable players

* John D. Douglas
* - George Bucci
* Andrea Dallamora
* - Wallace Bryant
* Daniele Albertazzi
* Moris Masetti
* Bill Garnett
* Artis Gilmore
* Vincent Askew
* Gene Banks
* Chris McNealy
* Dave Feitl
* Pete Myers
* Cedrick Hordges
* Valdemaras Chomičius
* Teoman Alibegović
* Shaun Vandiver
* Dallas Comegys
* Corrado Fumagalli
* Dan Gay
* Vincenzo Esposito
* Aleksandar Đorđević
* Carlton Myers
* Alessandro Frosini
* Mike Brown
* Conrad McRae
* Eric Murdock
* Gregor Fučka
* Giacomo Galanda
* Roberto Chiacig
* David Rivers
* Dominique Wilkins
* Gianluca Basile
* Marko Jarić
* Artūras Karnišovas
* Damir Mulaomerović
* Vinny Del Negro
* George Rusinak
* Anthony Bowie
* Eddie Gill
* Eurelijus Žukauskas
* Vassil Evtimov
* Emilio Kovačić
* John Celestand
* Anthony Goldwire
* Dan McClintock
* Marko Milič
* Rumeal Robinson
* Zoran Savić
* Stefano Mancinelli
* Gianmarco Pozzecco
* Carlos Delfino
* A. J. Guyton
* Luboš Bartoň
* Vlado Šćepanović
* Mate Skelin
* Davor Marcelić
* Marco Belinelli
* Erazem Lorbek
* Matjaž Smodiš
* Miloš Vujanić
* Hanno Möttölä
* Dalibor Bagarić
* Amal McCaskill
* Jean-Paul Afif
* Ruben Douglas
* Nate Green
* Sani Bečirovič
* Yakhouba Diawara
* Kiwane Garris
* Travis Watson
* - David Bluthenthal
* Alain Digbeu
* Tyus Edney
* Goran Jurak
* Jérôme Moïso
* Moochie Norris
* Preston Shumpert
* Kristaps Janičenoks
* Earl Barron
* Marcelinho Huertas
* Kieron Achara
* Jamont Gordon
* Uroš Slokar
* Joseph Forte
* James Thomas
* Eric Mavungu
* Qyntel Woods
* D. J. Strawberry
* Lazaros Papadopoulos
* Davide Lamma
* Marco Carraretto
* Stefano Mancinelli
* Çelis Taflaj

Players at the NBA draft

Head coaches

* Beppe Lamberti (1966–1973)
* Dido Guerrieri (1973–1974)
* Alberto Bucci (1974)
* Aza Nikolić (1974–1976)
* John McMillen (1976–1980)
* Mauro Di Vincenzo (1980–1981)
* Dodo Rusconi (1981–1983)
* Rudy D'Amico (1983)
* Francesco Zucchini and Andrea Sassoli (1983–1984)
* Andrea Sassoli (1984–1988)
* Mauro Di Vincenzo (1988–1990)
* Stefano Pillastrini (1990-1992)
* Lino Bruni
* Marco Calamai
* Dario Bellandi
* Sergio Scariolo (1993-1996)
* Valerio Bianchini (1996-1998)
* Petar Skansi (1998-1999)
* Carlo Recalcati (1999-2001)
* Matteo Boniciolli (2001-2002)
* Jasmin Repeša (2002-2006)
* Fabrizio Frates (2006)

* Ergin Ataman (2006-2007)
* Massimiliano Oldoini / Dan Gay (2007)
* Andrea Mazzon (2007-2008)
* Dragan Šakota (2008)
* Cesare Pancotto (2008-2009)
* Alessandro Finelli
* Antonio Tinti
* Federico Politi
* Claudio Vandoni
* Matteo Boniciolli (2015-2018)
* Gianmarco Pozzecco (2018)
* Antimo Martino (2018-2020, 2021-2022)
* Romeo Sacchetti (2020)
* Luca Dalmonte (2020-21, 2022-2023)
* Attilio Caja (2023-)

Sponsorship names

Throughout the years, due to sponsorship, the club has been known as :

*Cassera Bologna (1966–68)
*Eldorado Bologna (1968–71)
*Alco Bologna (1971–78)
*Mercury Bologna (1978–80)
*I&B Bologna (1980–81)
*Lattesole Bologna (1981–83)
*Yoga Bologna (1983–88)
*Arimo Bologna (1988–90)
*Aprimatic Bologna (1990–91)
*Mangiaebevi Bologna (1991–93)
*Filodoro Bologna (1993–95)
*Teamsystem Bologna (1995–99)
*Paf Wennington Bologna (1999–01)
*Skipper Bologna (2001–04)
*Climamio Bologna (2004–07)
*UPIM Bologna 'Domestically''(2007–08)
**Beghelli Bologna 'European competition''(2007–08)
*GMAC Bologna 'Domestically''(2008–09)
**Fortitudo Bologna 'European competition''(2008–09)
*Amori Bologna (2009–10)
*Tulipano Impianti Bologna (2013–14)
*Eternedile Bologna (2014–16)
*Contatto Bologna (2016–17)
*Consultinvest Bologna (2017–18)
*Lavoropiù Fortitudo Bologna (2018–19)
*Fortitudo Pompea Bologna (2019–20)
*Lavoropiù Fortitudo Bologna (2020–21)
*Fortitudo Kiğılı Bologna (2021–2023)
*Fortitudo Flats Service Bologna (2023–present)

References

External links

*

Serie A historical results
Retrieved 23 August 2015

Euroleague profile

Official Supporters Site

{{Lega Basket Serie A

1932 establishments in Italy
Basketball teams established in 1932
Basketball teams in Emilia-Romagna
Basketball in Bologna