S.L. Benfica (basketball)
Encyclopedia
Benfica Basket is the professional basketball
team of Sport Lisboa e Benfica, based in Lisbon
, Portugal
. It plays in Liga Portuguesa de Basquetebol (LCB), although in June 2007, the team decided to leave the LCB professional top league and join for the 2007–2008 season the Proliga, a league organized by the Federação Portuguesa de Basquetebol
. From 2008–09 onwards, Benfica decided to return to the LCB, then known as LPB.
S.L. Benfica are a top club in Portugal. One of its most memorable moments was when Benfica's basketball team won a European Cup clash against Italian giants Buckler Bologna
, beating the Italians 102–90, on December 1, 1993 at Pavilhão da Luz in Lisbon. Benfica also managed to win against other top European basketball teams such as Real Madrid
(in Spain
), Union Olimpija
, Joventut Badalona
(in Spain), Panathinaikos BC, Pau-Orthez
(in France
) and CSKA Moscow
. Despite basketball
not being nearly as popular with the population as football, Benfica also enjoys a major rivalry with FC Porto's basketball team and it usually leads to arguments between the fans, players and staff.
On June 6, 2009, the same season the club returned to the premier league, Benfica became the national champion after 14 years without titles and in 2010 they renewed the title.
in Lisbon on the 12th January, 1995. Benfica also made successful international campaigns in the other seasons considering the budget the team had compared with other European big teams. Some of the most successful of those campaigns include the 1993–94, when Benfica nearly reached the Top 8, and for a third season in a row Benfica managed to reach the Top 16 again in the European Champions' Cup, in 1995–96.
, Portugal Telecom and FC Porto. Even though this period is considered to be a dark one, Benfica did manage to reach the LPB final once as well as winning SuperCups and finishing runners-up in the national cup and the league cup. Also noteworthy is an away win against Real Madrid
, in the 1996–97 EuroCup
, the same season the Spaniards won the competition. The team finally decided to withdraw from the top tier and applied for the second league, the Proliga, which was the highest division run by the Federação Portuguesa de Basquetebol
. However the first division was folded and the LPB was again being overviewed by the national federation. This allowed the team to make a comeback to the main league.
, thus marking the end of a mid-term long hiatus from Portuguese clubs in European basketball competitions. In the following year, however, Benfica was beaten by Porto both in the regular season and the finals, losing the title to their rivals.
!width="40"|Pos.
!width="165"|Starter
!width="165"|Bench
!width="165"|Bench
!width="165"|Reserve
|-style="height:40px; background:white; color:black"
! style="background:#f0dc82" | C
|Fred Gentry || Elvis Évora
|| || style="background:#f0dc82" |
|-style="height:40px; background:white; color:black"
! style="background:#f0dc82" | PF
| Seth Doliboa
|| Heshimu Evans
|| || style="background:#f0dc82" |
|-style="height:40px; background:white; color:black"
! style="background:#f0dc82" | SF
| João Gomes
|| Sérgio Ramos
||António Monteiro
|| Carlos Ferreirinho || style="background:#f0dc82" |
|-style="height:40px; background:white; color:black"
! style="background:#f0dc82" | SG
| Ben Reed || Ted Scott
|| || style="background:#f0dc82" |
|-style="height:40px; background:white; color:black"
! style="background:#f0dc82" | PG
| Diogo Carreira || Miguel Minhava
||Tomás Barroso || || style="background:#f0dc82" |
|}
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...
team of Sport Lisboa e Benfica, based in Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. It plays in Liga Portuguesa de Basquetebol (LCB), although in June 2007, the team decided to leave the LCB professional top league and join for the 2007–2008 season the Proliga, a league organized by the Federação Portuguesa de Basquetebol
Federação Portuguesa de Basquetebol
The Federação Portuguesa de Basquetebol is the ruling body of basketball in Portugal. It was established on 17 August 1927. It became a member of International Basketball Federation in 1932, as part of the eight founding members.-External links:*...
. From 2008–09 onwards, Benfica decided to return to the LCB, then known as LPB.
S.L. Benfica are a top club in Portugal. One of its most memorable moments was when Benfica's basketball team won a European Cup clash against Italian giants Buckler Bologna
Virtus Bologna
-Notable players: Marco Bonamico 9 seasons: '75-'76, '77-'78, '80-'86, '88-'89 Carlo Caglieris 6 seasons: '75-'81 Pietro Generali 6 seasons: '75-'76, '78-'83 Gianni Bertolotti 5 seasons: '75-'80 Terry Driscoll 3 seasons: '75-'78 Eric Luc Leclerc 1 season: '75-'76 Luigi Serafini 2 seasons: '75-'77...
, beating the Italians 102–90, on December 1, 1993 at Pavilhão da Luz in Lisbon. Benfica also managed to win against other top European basketball teams such as Real Madrid
Real Madrid Baloncesto
Real Madrid Baloncesto is a Spanish professional basketball team founded in 1932 as a division of the Real Madrid club. They play in the Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto ....
(in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
), Union Olimpija
KK Union Olimpija
-Depth Chart:-In: Ben Woodside Deon Thompson Aleksandar Ćapin Jaka Blažič Danny Green Ratko Varda Robert Rothbart -Out: Giorgi Shermadini - return from a loan Kenny Gregory Samo Udrih Aloysius Anagonye Vladimir...
, Joventut Badalona
Joventut Badalona
Club Joventut Badalona, S.A.D. is a Spanish professional basketball club based in Badalona, Catalonia, playing in the Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto . Known to their fans as La Penya , it is one of only three teams that have never been relegated from the top division of the Spanish League...
(in Spain), Panathinaikos BC, Pau-Orthez
Élan Béarnais Pau-Orthez
The Élan Béarnais Pau-Orthez is a French professional basketball club that is based in Pau. They play their home games at the Palais des Sports de Pau.- History :...
(in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) and CSKA Moscow
PBC CSKA Moscow
PBC CSKA Moscow is a Russian professional basketball team that is based in Moscow, Russia. The club is a member of the VTB United League. It is often referred to in the West as "Red Army" for its past affiliation with the Soviet Army. CSKA has won two titles between 2006 and 2009 in Europe's...
. Despite 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...
not being nearly as popular with the population as football, Benfica also enjoys a major rivalry with FC Porto's basketball team and it usually leads to arguments between the fans, players and staff.
On June 6, 2009, the same season the club returned to the premier league, Benfica became the national champion after 14 years without titles and in 2010 they renewed the title.
Early years and first successes
Created in 1927, the basketball team followed the steps of many other sports that were supported by the club, achieving great success almost immediately. The team established itself as a main contender by the 1940s and during the whole 1960s gained the status of championship favourite and was already the club with the most titles won. By this time the club had won eight national championships and eight cups. This dominating spell decreased the following decade until early 1980s. In this time-span Benfica could only win two championships, in the 1969–70 and the 1974–75 season, but won four national cups, the second most prestigious Portuguese tournament, in 1969–70, 1971–72, 1972–73 and 1973–74. After these years, Benfica again dominated the national scene.Golden years
The most successful period of the club was between 1985 and 1995. In eleven seasons, the team won ten national titles, seven of which in a row, five national cups, five league cups and six supercups, achieving the best season ever by a Portuguese basketball team in 1994–95 winning the Portuguese League, Portuguese League Cup, Portuguese Supercup, Portuguese Basketball Cup and finishing the European Champions' Cup in the Top 16. One of the highlight from that European Champions' Cup season was a 22 point victory (102–80) against CSKA MoscowPBC CSKA Moscow
PBC CSKA Moscow is a Russian professional basketball team that is based in Moscow, Russia. The club is a member of the VTB United League. It is often referred to in the West as "Red Army" for its past affiliation with the Soviet Army. CSKA has won two titles between 2006 and 2009 in Europe's...
in Lisbon on the 12th January, 1995. Benfica also made successful international campaigns in the other seasons considering the budget the team had compared with other European big teams. Some of the most successful of those campaigns include the 1993–94, when Benfica nearly reached the Top 8, and for a third season in a row Benfica managed to reach the Top 16 again in the European Champions' Cup, in 1995–96.
Decline in the late 1990s
This period was followed by a dark era in which Benfica was internally overshadowed by OvarenseOvarense (basketball)
Ovarense Basketball is a team of professional basketball that plays in Ovar, Portugal. The team plays in the LCB. The Ovarense created its section of basketball in 1970, with the initiative of a member entrepreneur, John Gonçalves, but in this space of time managed to assert itself as one of the...
, Portugal Telecom and FC Porto. Even though this period is considered to be a dark one, Benfica did manage to reach the LPB final once as well as winning SuperCups and finishing runners-up in the national cup and the league cup. Also noteworthy is an away win against Real Madrid
Real Madrid Baloncesto
Real Madrid Baloncesto is a Spanish professional basketball team founded in 1932 as a division of the Real Madrid club. They play in the Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto ....
, in the 1996–97 EuroCup
Saporta Cup
Saporta Cup was the name of the second-tier level European professional club basketball competition, where the National Cup winners from all over Europe played against each other. The competition was organized by FIBA Europe...
, the same season the Spaniards won the competition. The team finally decided to withdraw from the top tier and applied for the second league, the Proliga, which was the highest division run by the Federação Portuguesa de Basquetebol
Federação Portuguesa de Basquetebol
The Federação Portuguesa de Basquetebol is the ruling body of basketball in Portugal. It was established on 17 August 1927. It became a member of International Basketball Federation in 1932, as part of the eight founding members.-External links:*...
. However the first division was folded and the LPB was again being overviewed by the national federation. This allowed the team to make a comeback to the main league.
Revival in the 2010s
After more than a decade without any titles and in the same season Benfica had made a return to the first league, the 2008–09 season, the team won the Portuguese League, with a perfect score of 100% wins during the regular season, becoming the second team in the world to do so, after Maccabi Tel Aviv in the 1970s, and thrashing Ovarense 4–0 in the best-of-four game final. Benfica won the championship again the following season with a 91% winning record in the regular stage and a 4–1 final against Porto. The recent success brought the team to participate in the EuroChallengeEuroChallenge
The EuroChallenge is the 3rd tier level transnational men's professional club basketball competition in Europe. It is organized and run by FIBA Europe...
, thus marking the end of a mid-term long hiatus from Portuguese clubs in European basketball competitions. In the following year, however, Benfica was beaten by Porto both in the regular season and the finals, losing the title to their rivals.
Trophies
- Portuguese Basketball Premier League: 22
- 1939–40, 1945–46, 1946–47, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1969–70, 1974–75, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 2008–09, 2009–10
- Portuguese Basketball CupPortuguese Basketball CupThe Portuguese Basketball Cup is the top men’s basketball cup in Portugal, which is also called and it is organized by the Federation.-Portuguese Cup Winners:...
: 18- 1945–46, 1946–47, 1960–61, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1965–66, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1980–81, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96
- Portuguese Basketball League CupPortuguese Basketball League CupPortuguese Basketball League Cup or Taça da Liga Trecem is a competition for Portuguese teams that play in LCB-Portuguese League Cup Champions:...
: 6- 1989–90, 1990–91, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 2010-11
- Portuguese Basketball SuperCupPortuguese Basketball SuperCupThe Portuguese Basketball SuperCup is a men’s professional basketball competition in Portugal, which is also called and it is played by the Champion of the LCB and the wiiner of the Portuguese Cup....
: 10- 1984–85, 1988–89, 1990–91, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1997–98, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010-11
- Portuguese Basketball Champions TournamentPortuguese Basketball Champions TournamentPortuguese Basketball Champions Tournament Cup or Torneio dos Campeões is a competition for Portuguese teams that play in LCB-Portuguese Champions Tournament Winners:...
: 1- 2006–07
- Supertaça Portugal-Angola: 1
- 2009–10
- António Pratas Cup: 1
- 2011–12
Depth chart
{| style="text-align: center; background:red; color:white"!width="40"|Pos.
!width="165"|Starter
!width="165"|Bench
!width="165"|Bench
!width="165"|Reserve
|-style="height:40px; background:white; color:black"
! style="background:#f0dc82" | C
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
|Fred Gentry || Elvis Évora
Elvis Évora
Elvis Garcia Monteiro Évora is a Cape Verde-born Portuguese basketball player. He plays as a center.He played for FC Porto, from 1998/1999 to 2004/2005. After a season at Tenerife, he moved back to Portugal, playing for Ovarense, from 2006/07 to 2007/08, were he was twice National Champion. In...
|| || style="background:#f0dc82" |
|-style="height:40px; background:white; color:black"
! style="background:#f0dc82" | PF
Power forward (basketball)
Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low...
| Seth Doliboa
Seth Doliboa
Seth Doliboa is an American basketball player. After a few years in the National Basketball Development League, he decided to travel to Europe, where he began to achieve more success.As of 2010, he was playing for SL Benfica in Portugal.-Club:...
|| Heshimu Evans
Heshimu Evans
Heshimu Kenyata Evans is an American-born Portuguese basketball player, currently with SL Benfica of the Portuguese Basketball League ....
|| || style="background:#f0dc82" |
|-style="height:40px; background:white; color:black"
! style="background:#f0dc82" | SF
| João Gomes
João Gomes
João Gomes , most commonly known as Betinho, is a Portuguese basketball player.-Career:Gomes played for FC Barreirense in Portugal, the club where he developed his basketball skills, and was noticed by American and European scouts. His performance with led to an invitation to play in the Reebok...
|| Sérgio Ramos
Sérgio Ramos
Sérgio Bruno Antunes Selores Ramos is a Portuguese basketball player.He measures 2.00 metres and plays as a Forward . He announced the end of his international career, after Portugal's exit from the EuroBasket 2007...
||António Monteiro
Antônio Monteiro
Antônio dos Santos Monteiro was a Brazilian actor, director and writer.He began his career of actor and clown in 1981 to 25 years of age...
|| Carlos Ferreirinho || style="background:#f0dc82" |
|-style="height:40px; background:white; color:black"
! style="background:#f0dc82" | SG
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
| Ben Reed || Ted Scott
Ted Scott
Edward "Ted" Scott, CC was a Canadian Anglican bishop.Scott was born in Edmonton, Alberta in 1919 and grew up in Vancouver, where his father was a rector. He attended Anglican Theological College and was ordained in 1942...
|| || style="background:#f0dc82" |
|-style="height:40px; background:white; color:black"
! style="background:#f0dc82" | PG
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
| Diogo Carreira || Miguel Minhava
Miguel Minhava
Miguel António Cabrita Minhava is a Portuguese basketball player. He developed his basketball skills from a young age, playing for his hometown club and youth basketball powerhouse. He later played for CF Belenenses and Spanish side CB L'Hospitalet in 2007/2008. Minhava is now back at...
||Tomás Barroso || || style="background:#f0dc82" |
|}
Home arenas
- Pavilhão dos Desportos 1946–1965
- Pavilhão da Luz (old) 1965–2003
- Pavilhão Império BonançaPavilhão da Luz Nº1The Pavilhão da Luz Nº1 is the main arena of Portuguese sports club, S.L. Benfica. It holds 2,400 seats and is mainly used by the basketball, futsal and rink hockey departments of the said club. It currently is sponsored by a Portuguese assurance company, Império Bonança, hence the name Pavilhão...
2003–present
Former notable players
| Carlos Andrade 1 season: '06-'07 Carlos Lisboa Carlos Lisboa Carlos Humberto Lehman de Almeida Behnoliel Lisboa Santos , better known as Carlos Lisboa, is a former Portuguese basketball player and a current coach, usually considered the best basketball player to ever come from his country... 12 seasons '84-'96 Pedro Miguel Pedro Miguel Neves Pedro Miguel Rodrigues Neves , known as Pedro Miguel, is a former Portuguese basketball player. He played as a guard.Pedro Miguel first played for Vasco da Gama and FC Porto. He achieved the best results of his career for Benfica, during the "Eagles" basketball golden era, being one of their best... 6 seasons: '91-'97 Luís Silva 8 seasons: '94-'99, '02-'05 |
Jean-Jacques Conceição Jean-Jacques Conceição Jean-Jacques Nzadi da Conceição, better known as Jean-Jacques , is a former Angolan-Portuguese basketball player. He was a power forward. He played for Benfica in Portugal, where he won seven national championships and three Cups of Portugal... 8 seasons: '88-'96 José Carlos Guimarães José Carlos Guimarães José Carlos Ribeiro de Carvalho Guimarães is a former Angolan basketball player and a current coach. He played as a guard and as a forward.... 4 seasons: '91-'94, '96-'97 Richard Aigner 1 season: '97-'98 Henrique Vieira 11 seasons: '81-'92 |
 Mark AcresMark Acres Mark Richard Acres is a retired American professional basketball player who spent most of his career in the NBA... 1 season: '97-'98 Seth Doliboa Seth Doliboa Seth Doliboa is an American basketball player. After a few years in the National Basketball Development League, he decided to travel to Europe, where he began to achieve more success.As of 2010, he was playing for SL Benfica in Portugal.-Club:... 1 season: '08-'09  Mike PlowdenMike Plowden Michael Plowden , known as Mike Plowden, was an American-born Portuguese naturalized basketball player and coach. He was a power forward.Plowden came to Portugal still in his 20s to play for Barreirense... 10 seasons: '85-'95 Steve RochaSteve Rocha Steven Wayne Rocha, known as Steve Rocha , is a former American-born Portuguese basketball player and a current coach. He played as a center. Rocha is from Portuguese origin and latter settled in Portugal, where he become one of the best players for his adopted country... ??? seasons: |