Location Larissa, Greece President Kostas Dastafridis Date founded 1928 | Team colors Green and White Website GS Larissas 1928 | |
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History Gymnastikos S. Larissas
(1928 – 2006)
Foinix Larissas
(1995 – 2015)
G.S. Larissas 1928 - Foinix
(2015 – 2016)
G.S. Larissas 1928
(2016 – Present) Arena Capacity Basketball: 4,000
(permanent upper-tier seats)
5,500
(with retractable lower-tier seats) Arena Larissa Neapolis Indoor Arena Leagues Greek A2 Basket League, Greek Basketball Cup | ||
Gymnastikos S. Larissas B.C. (Greek: Γυμναστικός Σ. Λάρισας K.A.E.), commonly abbreviated as either G.S. Larissas or G.S.L., is a Greek professional basketball club that is based in Larissa, Greece. The club's full name is Gymnastikos Syllogos Larissas 1928 (Γυμναστικός Σύλλογος Λάρισας 1928). The club’s colors are green and white, and its emblem is the Discobolus.
Contents
The club currently plays in the 2nd-tier level Greek A2 League.
History
Gymnastikos S. Larissas was founded in 1928, and it was the first basketball club of the city of Larissa, that played in the top-tier level Greek Basket League (A1 National). In 1979, basketball coach Giannis Ioannidis, after winning the Greek League championship with Aris, surprisingly agreed to become the head coach of Gymnastikos. Gymnastikos was in the B National (Greek 3rd division) at the time, and had great aspirations of promotion to the top-tier Greek league.
Ioannidis led the team to an undefeated run to the top division in 1980. From that time, and until 2006, the club had played several times in the top-tier Greek League, through the 2005–06 season. The club's best season to date was the 1994–95 season, when under head coach Vangelis Alexandris' guidance, they almost earned a qualification place in the 3rd-tier European-wide league, the Korać Cup. They were ultimately denied a place in the Korać Cup by Sporting, by just one point (86-85), in the play-off decider game that determined which team qualified for FIBA Korać Cup.
Gymnastikos later suffered relegation to the Greek second division in 1998, but against all odds, they returned to the top flight Greek league in 2005. Despite the club's low budget, they had a good season in the top-tier Greek League, during the 2005–06 season. However, due to financial problems, the club was merged with AEL 1964, in 2006, which again ended its presence in Greece's top basketball league.
Also in 2006, Keravnos Larissa, the club's feeder team, changed their name to Keravnos Gymnastikos, as a reminder of the club's past glory days. Eventually, 9 years later, in 2015, Gymnastikos returned to existence, after merging with another other local club of Larissa, Foinix Larissas. Foinix Larissas had been founded in 1995, and in the previous season, it had played in the 3rd-tier Greek B League (Beta Ethniki).
Foinix Larissas was then replaced by Gymnastikos S. Larissas, after the two clubs merged in 2015, thus ending Foinix's presence in Greek basketball competitions. The club played in the 3rd-tier level Greek B League during the 2015–16 season, and was promoted to the 2nd-tier level Greek A2 League, for the 2016–17 season.
Arenas
Gymnastikos used the 2,000 capacity Alkazar Hall as its home arena for more than 20 years, until 1995, when the Larissa Neapolis Indoor Arena was opened. The club has since played its home games at the Larissa Neapolis, which can seat up to 5,500 people for basketball games.
NBA players
Over the years, the team has featured NBA players like: