Nickname Pienininkai (Milkmen) Location Pasvalys, Lithuania President Eugenijus Budreika Founded 2003 | Arena Capacity 1,200 Team colors Navy, Yellow, White Head coach Ramūnas Cvirka Championships 1 | |
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Leagues Lithuanian Basketball League,
Baltic Basketball League Arena Pasvalys Pieno žvaigždės Arena | ||
BC Pieno žvaigždės (Lithuanian: Krepšinio klubas Pieno žvaigždės) is a professional basketball club from Pasvalys, Lithuania which currently plays in the LKL league. The club name comes from the main sponsor Pieno žvaigždės.
Contents
History
In 2003, the club debuted in the LKAL league and took fourth place (regular season: 19-15). The 2003–2004 LKAL season was more successful for Pieno žvaigždės as they won the regular season (regular season: 39-13). During the 2006–2007 season, Pieno žvaigždės played in the new second Lithuania basketball league, NKL, and took fifth place (regular season: 22-22). In their second NKL season, BC Pieno žvaigždės took only eight place (regular season: 17-15). The 2008–2009 season was more successful and Pieno žvaigždės took sixth place (regular season: 23-13). The 2009–2010 NKL season was one of the most successful in the club history as BC Pieno žvaigždės took third place in NKL (regular season: 21-9).
However this was not the end, as BC Pieno žvaigždės ended their 2010–2011 NKL regular season with 41:1 win/lose ratio (lost to Pakruojo Meresta by 1 point). On 16/17 April 2011, BC Pieno žvaigždės participated in NKL final four and became NKL champions. Also they got their chance to enter Lithuania super basketball league LKL, because of that, Pieno žvaigždės played three transition matches against Naglis (loser goes to NKL and the winner is automatically transferred to Lithuania super basketball league LKL). On 26 April 2011, Pieno žvaigždės lost their first transition match against Naglis in Palanga. On 29 April 2011 however, Pieno žvaigždės won the second game of the transition series in Pasvalys. The perfect BC „Pieno žvaigždės“ season finished very unsuccessfully as they lost the third transition series game against Naglis by only one point with result 68:69. Because of that, Pieno žvaigždės had to stay in NKL.
On 14 July 2011, Pieno žvaigždės merged with LKL participant Perlas, so they participated in premier Lithuania basketball league LKL. The main team coach was former Perlas coach Roberts Štelmahers. Pieno Žvaigždės debuted in the LKL league on 7 October 2011 against Techasas, they won the match with result 84:56.
In 2011–2012 season Pieno žvaigždės participated in LKF Cup tournament. They eliminated Šiauliai in last round of playoffs and advanced to final four, which took place in Kaunas. The semi-final was against Rūdupis, which, after very tight game Pieno žvaigždės won with result 68:67.
However, the team was no match for Žalgiris Kaunas, losing 62:99. Over the next two seasons, the team played solidly in both the LKL and BBL comptetitions, reaching the quarterfinals each time, also reaching the LKF Cup finals in 2013, though losing to BC Prienai.
In the 2014–15 LKL season, Pieno žvaigždės were just one step away from defeating Juventus in the quarter-finals, losing the fifth series game by 8 points. Juventus later played in the LKL bronze final and surprisingly defeated Euroleague participant BC Neptūnas there.
On July 29, 2015, the club was invited to join the 2015–16 FIBA Europe Cup tournament, which is the alternative version of the 2nd tier European tournament ULEB Eurocup, organized by FIBA. University of Florida standout Dennis Mavin and Khimik star Ramone Moore strengthened the team roster in the summer of 2015. The team advanced into the second stage of the FIBA Europe Cup by clinching the second place in the group and surprisingly leaving the last season's Polish champions and Euroleague participants Turów Zgorzelec shocked. They were eliminated in the second stage, with KK Cibona and Energia Târgu Jiu advancing.