Romanian Basketball Division A - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Divizia A is the top-tier professional basketball

Basketball

Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...

league of Romania

Romania

Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...

. There are 16 teams in Men's Division A.

The regular season begins in October and is played over a normal round-robin

Round-robin

The term round-robin was originally used to describe a document signed by multiple parties in a circle to make it more difficult to determine the order in which it was signed, thus preventing a ringleader from being identified...

home-and-away basis. The first 8 clubs qualify for the play-offs. The play-offs are played using the knock-out format. The quarter-finals and semifinals use "best of 5" series, while the final is played using a "best of 7" series. The last 2 teams following the regular season are automatically relegated to the Division B.

History

The championship was founded in 1950 and the most successful club is Dinamo Bucureşti with 22 titles, followed closely by Steaua Bucureşti with 21. But in recent years Asesoft Ploieşti is the best team in the country, winning the championship 6 times consecutively, 2004-Present. Asesoft is the only Romanian team who won a European competition, namely the FIBA EuroCup Challenge

EuroCup Challenge

The EuroCup Challenge was the 4th tier level transnational professional club basketball competition in Europe. It was run and organized by FIBA Europe.-Promotion to FIBA EuroCup:...

, in 2005.

Notable Divizia A players

Despite its mediocre present, Romanian basketball had a bright past, three of its former players becoming worldwide basketball stars. These three players have been recently inducted in the European Basketball Hall of Fame, as a recognition for their glorious careers.

Gheorghe Mureşan
Gheorghe Muresan
Gheorghe Dumitru Mureşan, , also known as Ghiţă or George, is a retired Romanian professional basketball player. At 7 ft 7 in , he is one of the tallest players in NBA history, along with Sudanese player Manute Bol, who was also 7 ft 7 in. Both Mureşan's parents are of average size, and,...

- Signed in 1993 with the Washington Bullets, becoming the tallest player ever in the NBA. Played 6 successful seasons with the Bullets and the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...

, averaging a career 9.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 0.5 assists. Obtained the title of NBA Most Improved Player
NBA Most Improved Player Award
The National Basketball Association's Most Improved Player Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1985–86 NBA season, to the most improved player of the regular season. The winner is selected by a panel of sportswriters throughout the United States and Canada,...

following the 1995–96 NBA season. Began his career playing two years for Universitatea Cluj-Napoca.

Antonio Alexe - Played all his career in the Romanian and Hungarian basketball leagues. Became Romanian champion 3 times, twice with CSU Asesoft
CSU Asesoft
CSU Asesoft is a Romanian professional basketball club, based in Ploieşti, Romania. The club competes in the Romanian Basketball Division A, and is the most successful club of the last decade, winning 7 consecutive championships between 2004-2010 and 6 Romanian cups...

and once with West Petrom Arad, before dying in a tragic car accident, in 2005.

Constantin Popa
Constantin Popa
Constantin Popa is a 2.22 m retired Romanian-Israeli professional basketball player.Popa played for Dinamo Bucureşti in his native Romania before going overseas to play college basketball in the United States for the University of Miami...

- After debuting in Divizia A for BC Dinamo Bucureşti
BC Dinamo Bucureşti
BC Dinamo Bucureşti, formerly known as Dinamo-Erbaşu or Dinamo Gealan, is a Romanian professional basketball club, based in Bucharest, Romania. The club competes in the Romanian Basketball Division A.-History:...

, went overseas to play for the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...

in the NCAA Division 1, becoming the tallest player ever in the history of the school. Drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...

in the 1995 NBA Draft
1995 NBA Draft
The 1995 NBA Draft took place on June 28, 1995 at SkyDome in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It marked the first NBA draft for the two Canadian expansion teams, Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies...

, he never played in the NBA, but had a successful career in the CBA
Continental Basketball Association
The Continental Basketball Association was a professional men's basketball league in the United States, which has been on hiatus since the 2009 season.- History :...

, before returning to Europe.

Teams for 2010–11 season

{| class={| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Team
! City
! Arena
! Capacity
|-
| BC Mures

BC Mures

BC Mureş is a Romanian professional basketball club, based in Târgu Mureş, Romania. The team plays in the Romanian Basketball Division A.-Supporters:...

*
| Târgu Mureş
| Sala Sporturilor Târgu Mureş
| 2000
|-
| BC Steaua Turabo Bucureşti*
| Bucureşti
| Sala Mihai Viteazul
| 200
|-
| Asesoft Ploieşti*
| Ploieşti

Ploiesti

Ploiești is the county seat of Prahova County and lies in the historical region of Wallachia in Romania. The city is located north of Bucharest....

| Sala Sporturilor Olimpia

Sala Sporturilor Olimpia

Sala Sporturilor Olimpia is a multi-use arena in Ploieşti, Romania, that holds 4,000 people. It is currently the home of the most successful Romanian basketball team, CSU Asesoft....

| 4000
|-
| Gaz Metan Mediaş

CS Gaz Metan Medias

Clubul Sportiv Gaz Metan Mediaș is a Romanian professional football club from Mediaș, Sibiu county, founded in 1945, and currently playing in the Romanian first division.- First promotion in Divizia A :...

*
| Mediaş

Medias

Mediaș is the second largest city in Sibiu County, Transylvania, Romania.-Geographic location:Mediaș is located in the middle basin of Târnava Mare River, at 39 km from Sighișoara and 41 km from Blaj. The health resort Bazna, officially recognized for the first time in 1302, is...

Sala Sporturilor Horia Demian

Sala Sporturilor Horia Demian , part of the city's Splaiul Independenţei sports complex, is a multi-use arena in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. It is used as home ground of the both men's and women's handball and basketball teams of CS Universitatea Cluj-Napoca.The arena is named in honour of Horia Demian,...

| 2500
|-
| Energia Rovinari
| Târgu Jiu

Târgu Jiu

Târgu Jiu is the capital of Gorj County, Oltenia, Romania. It is situated on the Southern Sub-Carpathians, on the banks of the river Jiu. Eight villages are administered by the city: Bârseşti, Drăgoeni, Iezureni, Polata, Preajba Mare, Româneşti, Slobozia and Ursaţi.-History:The city takes its name...

| Sala Sporturilor Târgu Jiu
| 1000
|-
| CSM Bucureşti
| Bucureşti
| Sala Sporturilor Bucureşti
| 200
|-
| BC Argeş Piteşti

CSU Piteşti

CSU Piteşti is a Romanian professional basketball club, based in Piteşti, Romania. The club competes in the Romanian Basketball Division A, and has also been named in recent years CSU Universitatea, BCM Piteşti and BCMUS Argeş Piteşti. The team won the Romanian championship in 2000, and qualified...

| Piteşti

Pitesti

Pitești is a city in Romania, located on the Argeș River. The capital and largest city of Argeș County, it is an important commercial and industrial center, as well as the home of two universities. Pitești is situated on the A1 freeway connecting it directly to the national capital Bucharest,...

Timisoara

Timișoara is the capital city of Timiș County, in western Romania. One of the largest Romanian cities, with an estimated population of 311,586 inhabitants , and considered the informal capital city of the historical region of Banat, Timișoara is the main social, economic and cultural center in the...

| Sala Constantin Jude

Sala Constantin Jude

Sala Constantin Jude, formerly known as Sala Olimpia, is a multi-use indoor arena in Timişoara, Romania, that holds 2,000 people. It is the home of Romanian basketball team BCM Elba Timişoara and handball team CSU Politehnica Timișoara....

| 2000
|-
| CS Otopeni

CS Otopeni (basketball)

CS Otopeni is a Romanian professional basketball club, based in Otopeni, Romania. The club competes in the Romanian Basketball Division A. In 2006, the team promoted for the first time ever in the first division...

| Otopeni

Otopeni

Otopeni is a town in Ilfov County, Romania, some north of Bucharest along the road to Ploieşti. It has 10,215 inhabitants, of which 99.0% are Romanians. One village, Odăile, is administered by the town....

| Sala Otopeni
| 200
|-
| SCM Universitatea Craiova

SCM CSU Craiova

SCM Universitatea Craiova is a Romanian professional basketball club, based in Craiova, Romania. The club competes in the Romanian Basketball Division A. Over the last few years, the team has also been named CSM Universitatea Craiova and CSU Craiova...

| Craiova

Craiova

Craiova , Romania's 6th largest city and capital of Dolj County, is situated near the east bank of the river Jiu in central Oltenia. It is a longstanding political center, and is located at approximately equal distances from the Southern Carpathians and the River Danube . Craiova is the chief...

| Sala Sporturilor Craiova

Sala Sporturilor (Craiova)

Sala Sporturilor from Craiova is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Craiova, Romania that is currently under construction. Once completed in 2011, it will have a seating capacity between 6,000 and 10,000 spectators depending on its use....

| 6000
|-
| CSM Oradea
| Oradea

Oradea

Oradea is the capital city of Bihor County, in the Crișana region of north-western Romania. The city has a population of 204,477, according to the 2009 estimates. The wider Oradea metropolitan area has a total population of 245,832.-Geography:...

| Arena Antonio Alexa
| 2000
|-
| CSU Sibiu

CSU Sibiu

CSU Sibiu is a Romanian professional basketball club, based in Sibiu, Romania. The club competes in the Romanian Basketball Division A, winning the championship in 1995 and 1999. The home arena is Transilvania Hall, a 3000 seat arena in Sibiu.-Current roster:...

| Sibiu

Sibiu

Sibiu is a city in Transylvania, Romania with a population of 154,548. Located some 282 km north-west of Bucharest, the city straddles the Cibin River, a tributary of the river Olt...

| Sala Transilvania
| 3000
|-
| BC Miercurea Ciuc
| Miercurea Ciuc
| Sala Sporturilor Miercurea Ciuc
| 1500
|-
| CSU Braşov

CSU Braşov

CSU Braşov is a Romanian professional basketball club, based in Braşov, Romania. The club competes in the Romanian Basketball Division A, is coached by Romanian national team coach Dan Calancea, and plays its home games at Sala Sporturilor Dumitru Colibaşi....

| Braşov

Brasov

Brașov is a city in Romania and the capital of Brașov County.According to the last Romanian census, from 2002, there were 284,596 people living within the city of Brașov, making it the 8th most populated city in Romania....

Iasi

Iași is the second most populous city and a municipality in Romania. Located in the historical Moldavia region, Iași has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Romanian social, cultural, academic and artistic life...

| Sala Sporturilor Iaşi
| 1000
|-
|}

Winners by season

{| class="wikitable" border="0" cellpadding="2" style="border-collapse:collapse; text-align:left"
|- style="background:#f0f6fa;"
!Season
!Champion
|-
|1950/51
|Metalul București
|-
|1951/52
|Metalul București
|-
|1952/53
|Dinamo Bucureşti
|-
|1953/54
|Dinamo Bucureşti
|-
|1954/55
|Dinamo Bucureşti
|-
|1955/56
|Steaua Bucureşti
|-
|1956/57
|Dinamo Bucureşti
|-
|1957/58
|Steaua Bucureşti
|-
|1958/59
|Steaua Bucureşti
|-
|1959/60
|Steaua Bucureşti
|-
|1960/61
|Steaua Bucureşti
|-
|1961/62
|Steaua Bucureşti
|-
|1962/63
|Steaua Bucureşti
|-
|1963/64
|Steaua Bucureşti
|-
|1964/65
|Dinamo Bucureşti
|-
|1965/66
|Steaua Bucureşti
|-
|1966/67
|Dinamo Bucureşti
|-
|1967/68
|Dinamo Bucureşti
|-
|1968/69
|Dinamo Bucureşti
|-
|1969/70
|Steaua Bucureşti
|-
|1970/71
|Dinamo Bucureşti
|-
|1971/72
|Dinamo Bucureşti
|-
|1972/73
|Dinamo Bucureşti
|-
|1973/74
|Dinamo Bucureşti
|-
|1974/75
|Dinamo Bucureşti
|-
|1975/76
|Dinamo Bucureşti
|-
|1976/77
|
|-
|1977/78
|Steaua Bucureşti
|-
|1978/79
|Dinamo Bucureşti
|-
|1979/80
|Steaua Bucureşti
|-
|1980/81
|Steaua Bucureşti
|-
|1981/82
|Steaua Bucureşti
|-
|1982/83
|Dinamo Bucureşti
|-
|1983/84
|Steaua Bucureşti
|-
|1984/85
|Steaua Bucureşti
|-
|1985/86
|Steaua Bucureşti
|-
|1986/87
|Steaua Bucureşti
|-
|1987/88
|Dinamo Bucureşti
|-
|1988/89
|Steaua Bucureşti
|-
|1989/90
|Steaua Bucureşti
|-
|1990/91
|Steaua Bucureşti
|-
|1991/92
|Universitatea Cluj-Napoca
|-
|1992/93
|Universitatea Cluj-Napoca
|-
|1993/94
|Dinamo Bucureşti
|-
|1994/95
|CSU Sibiu

CSU Sibiu

|-
|1995/96
|Universitatea Cluj-Napoca
|-
|1996/97
|Dinamo Bucureşti
|-
|1997/98
|Dinamo Bucureşti
|-
|1998/99
|CSU Sibiu

CSU Sibiu

|-
|1999/00
|BC Argeş Piteşti

CSU Piteşti

|-
|2000/01
|Petrom Arad
|-
|2001/02
|Petrom Arad
|-
|2002/03
|Dinamo Bucureşti
|-
|2003/04
|Asesoft Ploieşti
|-
|2004/05
|Asesoft Ploieşti
|-
|2005/06
|Asesoft Ploieşti
|-
|2006/07
|Asesoft Ploieşti
|-
|2007/08
|Asesoft Ploieşti
|-
|2008/09
|Asesoft Ploieşti
|-
|2009/10
|Asesoft Ploieşti
|-
|2010/11
|Universitatea Cluj-Napoca
|-
|2011/12
|
|-
|}

External links

Official site of the Romanian basketball federation
Halfcourt.info (Romanian and English)
Numaibaschet.ro (Romanian)

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