KK Zadar

Infobox Basketball club
color1 =#333399
color2 =#FFFFFF
name =KK Zadar
nickname =
logo =kkzadarlogo.gif
imagesize =100 x 100
leagues =NLB League
A1 Liga
founded =1945
history =1945 - present
arena =Krešimir Ćosić Hall (capacity: 9,200)
location =Zadar, Croatia
colors =White and Blue
president =flagicon|Croatia Kristijan Magaš
coach =flagicon|Croatia Aleksandar "Aco" Petrović
championships =6 Championships of Yugoslavia
1 Yugoslavian Cup
6 Croatian Cups
2 Championships of Croatia
1 Adriatic League Championship
website = [http://www.bczadar.com// www.bczadar.com]
h_body = 000099
h_pattern_b = _thinsidesonwhite
h_shorts = ffffff
h_pattern_s =
a_body = 000099
a_pattern_b = _thinwhitesides
a_shorts = 000099
a_pattern_s =

KK Zadar is a Croatian basketball team from the city of Zadar. The club currently plays in the NLB League, A1 Liga and the ULEB Cup.

Zadar is the place where Croatian basketball was born in 1930. Zadar's reputation has been of a basketball hotbed with a team that can capture trophies at any given moment. Zadar is also known for its fanatical die hard supporters, Tornado.

History

Early years

The first basketball ball and game rules of basketball were brought to Zadar by Italian soldiers during World War II, a time at which Zadar was occupied by the Italians. At that time all basketball games being played in Zadar were played on an outdoor, concrete court. KK Zadar was formally founded after World War II in 1945 as FD Zadar ("Fiskulturno Društvo Zadar" - Physical Culture Club of Zadar). Shortly after this clubs founding, its basketball section went independent and became what is today's KK Zadar. Giuseppe "Pino" Giergia played his first game for Zadar in 1945; he later became one of the clubs most famous players.

The 1949, KK Zadar entered Yugoslavia's first basketball division, remaining there until the country's break-up in 1990.

1960-1970

On November 28th 1964, Krešimir Ćosić played his first game for Zadar, while being only 16 years old.

In 1965 KK Zadar won a national championship. They again became champions in 1967 and 1968. In that championship year Kreso Cosic often knew to score even a 60 points per game. The clubs new arena, Jazine, was built in 1968 in only 70 days. Also in 1966, Zadar played in the Euroleague final four; they were beaten in the semi finals and ended the tournament in third place. In 1969 Krešo Ćosić left for the United States to play college basketball at Brigham Young University from 1971 to 1973.

1970-1980

In 1973, Zadar was almost relegated from the Yugoslav first division. In this time of crisis, Kreso Cosic returned to the club and with 36-year-old Giuseppe "Pino" Giergia Zadar once again became Yugoslav Champions, only to repeat this success two years later.

In 1976 Giuseppe Pino Giergia retired and Krešo Ćosić left the club to fulfill his obligations toward the Yugoslav Army (At this time, conscription was mandatory). During that time club was in a very difficult situation and once again were close to relegation. The club was once again saved by Krešo Ćosić who, after his military service, became the coach of Bresto in Italy. While he was the coach of Bresto he played basketball games for KK Zadar and once again saved the club from relegation.

1980-1990

In the 1981/1982 season another legendary Zadar play made his debut: Stojko Vranković. During that season club has made it to the semifinals of Korać Cup. They repeated this success the very next season. In 1986 another milestone for the club was achieved: the club got its first world record holder, Zdenko Babić, who has scored 144 points against Apoel form Cyprus in the Korać cup.

Arijan Komazec made his debut for Zadar in 1986, and he, along with Stojko Vranković, would play a crucial role in the years to follow. After 11 years of waiting, Zadar won its sixth national championship in 1986. In the finals of that year, KK Zadar met KK Cibona, and in a historic and legendary match, KK Zadar beat KK Cibona by 111:110. They won the game after two overtimes and thanks to an excellent performance by Petar Popović who scored 35 points. In 1987 the club won fourth place in the Euroleague. In 1989 Krešo Ćosić and Giuseppe "Pino" Giergia took charge of the club.

1990-2000

Krešo Ćosić left the club in August 1990 because of a disagreement with the rest of club leadership. Ćosić yould never return to the club, as soon was diagnosed with cancer, only to pass away shortly thereafter, in 1995. In the first, newly founded, Croatian national championship, in the 1991/1992 season, the club has played in the finals. That year club has also played in the Euroleague. They were the finalist of the national cup in the season of 1992/1993.

In years to come club began to stagnate in the national championship and European competitions. In 1996 with a new coach on the helm, Danijel Jusup, Zadar reached the playoffs of the national championship, where they lost to KK Cibona. They repeated this success the following year with Emilio Kovačić as Zadar's key player, yet Cibona won the title once again.

In 1998 Zadar won the Krešimir Ćosić Cup, Croatia's basketball cup competitions. Marko Popović, the son of Petar Popović made his debut in 1998 for Zadar at age 16. In the summer of the 1999 Arijan Komazec returned to Zadar from Virtus Bologna, and the club had also signed Dino Rađa from Panathinaikos. In the season 1999/2000 Zadar had won its 2nd Krešimir Ćosić cup and had played, once again, in the semifinals of national championship and Saporta cup. Dino Rađa and Arijan Komazec proved as crucial players for the success in that season.

2000-present

In the seasons of 2000/ 2001, 2001/2002 Zadar played in the playoffs of national championship twice and once in Krešimir Ćosić Cup, yet they didn't win any of the possible 3 titles. In the season of 2002/2003 Danijel Jusup returned to the club as Head Coach. During that season, with Marko Popović as a lead player, Zadar won its third Krešimir Ćosić Cup, as well as the newly established regional league Goodyear Adriatic League, founded on the ashes of the Yugoslav league and containing the best teams from the former Yugoslav republics. Zadar beat Maccabi Tel Aviv in the final.

In the summer of 2003 Marko Popović left Zadar as Emilo Kovačić returned. Going into the ULEB Cup for a third season in 2004-05, Zadar once again missed the playoffs by a single win. In the season of 2004/2005 Zadar finally won the Croatian national championship, after a 19 year wait. That season Zadar has also won their fourth Krešimir Ćosić Cup in a truly historical season. In 2006, they repeated their success from previous season in the Krešimir Ćosić Cup winning their fifth cup. Zadar returned to the national league final in each of the last two seasons, but KK Cibona stood on its way to another league title.

In 2008 Zadar became the Croatian champion for the second time, beating KK Split 3-2 in the best of 5 series. The final game of the series, which Zadar won 89 to 65, was the last game ever played at Jazine, affectionately called "The Temple of Croatian Basketball" by many fans and basketball aficionados.

Basketball Hall

The club currently plays out of a newly completed multi-purpose venue located in Zadar's quarter Višnjik. The recently built hall can seat 9200 spectators and carrys the name of Krešimir Ćosić.

Famous players

*flagicon|Croatia Krešimir Ćosić ( member of the Basketball Hall of Fame )
*flagicon|Croatia Josip Đerđa
*flagicon|Croatia Stojko Vranković
*flagicon|Croatia Tomislav Knežević
*flagicon|Croatia Emilio Kovačić
*flagicon|Croatia Stipe Šarlija
*flagicon|Croatia Arijan Komazec
*flagicon|Croatia Branko Skroće
*flagicon|Croatia Veljko Petranović
*flagicon|Croatia Petar Popović
*flagicon|Croatia Marko Popović
*flagicon|Croatia Damir Tvrdić
*flagicon|Croatia Hrvoje Perinčić
*flagicon|Croatia Dino Rađa
*flagicon|Croatia Marko Banić
*flagicon|Croatia Goran Kalamiza
*flagicon|Serbia Dejan Bodiroga

Famous coaches

*flagicon|Croatia Enzo Sovitti
*flagicon|Croatia Luciano Valčić
*flagicon|Serbia Vlade Đurović
*flagicon|Croatia Vladimir Vanjak
*flagicon|Croatia Ivica Burić
*flagicon|Croatia Danijel Jusup

Current roster

"updated on October 2008"

quad Transfers 2008/2009

In:
*flagicon|Croatia Tomislav Ružić - From "Antalya Kepez Belediyesi"
*flagicon|Croatia Damir Rančić - From "Panellinios"
*flagicon|Croatia Hrvoje Perić - From "KK Split"
*flagicon|Bulgaria Dejan Ivanov - From "KK Split"
*flagicon|USAflagicon|Mexico Romel Beck - From "Pierrel Capo d'Orlando"
*flagicon|USA Malik Dixon - From "Hapoel Holon"
*flagicon|USA Marlon Garnett - From "KK Split"

Out:
*flagicon|Croatia Pankracije Barać - To "Spirou Charleroi"
*flagicon|Croatia Jure Lalić - To "Spirou Charleroi"
*flagicon|Croatia Andrej Štimac - To "KK Zagreb"
*flagicon|USA Shammell Stallworth - To "Zhejiang Cyclones"
*flagicon|USA Corey L. Brewer - To "ASK Riga"

On loan:
*flagicon|Croatia Marino Šarlija - To "KK Borik Puntamika"
*flagicon|USAflagicon|Mexico Romel Beck - To "Unknown"
*flagicon|Croatia Pavle Marčinković - To "Unknown"

External links

* [http://www.bczadar.com/ Official website of KK Zadar]
* [http://www.tornado-zadar.hr/ Tornado Zadar - Official Zadar fan site]