BC UNICS - History

History

The club has gone a long way towards helping Russian basketball since the club was established in 1991. Between 1994 and 1997, UNICS secured a berth in Russia's first division, and then made a smashing debut, establishing itself among the top five teams in the country. UNICS already played European competitions in 1997, but the new millennium happened to be a turning point for the club. The team placed second to CSKA in the Russian Basketball Super League in 2001 and 2002, the year in which it also reached the Saporta Cup semifinals, losing against Maroussi in the semifinals. UNICS first title was the Russian Cup in March 2003, with an electrifying 81-82 overtime victory over CSKA. UNICS fans did not have to wait long to see their team win a European title, too. Kazan hosted the FIBA Europe League final four, named now FIBA EuroCup, in April 2004 and UNICS made sure of its opportunity. UNICS signed Saulius Štombergas, Eurelijus Žukauskas or Chris Anstey, won its regular season group and advanced to the final four on its own floor, where it was crowned the FIBA Europe League champion as MVP Martin Müürsepp scored 22 points in an 87-63 win over Maroussi in the title game. By 2005-06, UNICS went one level up and made its ULEB Cup debut, tying the best regular season record in the competition's history. Things turned south quickly, as it lost at home against Roma for the only time all season in the eighth finals’ second leg and crashed out earlier than expected. UNICS got stronger for last season, keeping the core group of the previous seasons side while adding Darjuš Lavrinovič to reunite with twin brother Kšyštof Lavrinovič in a twin towers set full of talent. The team made it to the ULEB Cup semifinals before losing to eventual champs Real Madrid. It also returned to the Russian League finals, losing against perennial champion CSKA. UNICS is back in the ULEB Cup with the only goal to reach even higher and make the city of Kazan proud of its mighty basketball team.

In 2007-08, UNICS made it to the ULEB Cup Final Eight, but fell to Akasvayu Girona in the quarterfinals. Last season UNICS broke through in the Eurocup, winning its regular season and Last 16 groups before sweeping its quarterfinal series against Pepsi Caserta. Once in Finals, Unics thrashed KK Cedevita 87–66 in the semifinals behind 27 points from Lyday and registered a no-doubt-about-it 92–77 win against Cajasol Sevilla in the title game. Popovic had 18 points and a Eurocup final record 11 assists to lead UNICS to the title. In the Russian League, UNICS marched to a 21–6 record to finish the regular season atop the standings with room to spare, but then went out in the playoff semifinals after a grueling five-game duel against BC Khimki. Now this blossoming club enters new waters eager to prove it belongs among the continent’s best in the Turkish Airlines Euroleague.

On the heels of one of the greatest seasons in club history, UNICS looks to continue Its rise to greatness as it makes its Euroleague debut. The reigning Eurocup champion was a force to be reckoned with last year, not only marching through the Eurocup, but also making noise in the Russian League, where it finished first at the end of the regular season and reached the playoff semifinals. One of the secrets to the club’s success is that it has managed to keep a core of star players for several years. Players like Marko Popović, Maciej Lampe, Terrell Lyday, Vladimir Veremeenko and Kelly McCarty have helped write a golden chapter in UNICS history. Before that, UNICS put Kazan, Russia, on the European basketball map and became the perfect ambassador for the sports-crazy Republic of Tatarstan in the Russian federation.