RRI Live!

Listen to Radio Romania International Live

RRI Sports Club – 100 years of Romanian basketball

A short history of Romanian basketball

RRI Sports Club – 100 years of Romanian basketball
RRI Sports Club – 100 years of Romanian basketball

, 03.11.2020, 13:45

Romanian basketball is one of the most popular sports with the young generation in Romania. Invented as a sport in 1891 in the USA, it took nearly 30 years for basketball to reach Romania. The first demonstrative matches were played in 1920. The balls and the backboards were provided by the US Army which, after its victory in the First World War, left behind all the sports gear which soldiers used for R&R.




According to the webpage of the Romanian Basketball Federation, the first regulation was published on December 4, 1921 in an issue of the “Sports Echo” (Ecoul sportiv) daily newspaper, in an article called “Ball in the basket”. The first standardized basketball court was set up in Bucharest at Mihai Viteazu high school in 1922. The first official match was hosted the very same year, when the Mihai Viteazu team won 11-9 against the students from Dimitrie Cantemir. 1929 saw the first domestic championship, with the participation of 5 teams from Bucharest: the Romanian Tennis Club, PTT, YMCA, Viforul Dacia and the Romanian Rugby Club. In the final, Tennis Club defeated YMCA 38-32. 1931 marked a milestone for Romanian basketball, when the Romanian Basketball and Volleyball Federation was founded, with Constantin Marinescu at its helm. In 1932 the Federation became an affiliate of the International Basketball Federation.




After the Second World War, Romanian basketball gained in popularity. The first notable results in international competitions followed, especially in womens competitions, with Romanias national team coming very close to stepping onto the podium at the European Championships of 1962, 1964 and 1966. Before the 1989 revolution, the womens domestic championship saw university team battling over the trophy. Stiinta Bucharest and Universitatea Cluj, for instance, each won 11 titles. On the other hand, Bucharest rivals Steaua and Dinamo dominated the mens competition, winning 21 and 18 trophies each, respectively. The supremacy of teams from Bucharest would eventually end after 1991.




The first trophy in European inter-club competitions was won by CSU Asesoft Poiesti. In 2005, the team won the FIBA Europe Cup after defeating Lokomotiv Moscow 75-74 in the finals. A number of players also compelled recognition in foreign championships. Alin Savu is the only Romanian player to have been drafted two times into Europes team, in 1967 and 1968. Another player, Ghita Muresan, made history in the NBA, where he enjoyed a seven-year-long career. (Translated by V. Palcu)

Sports Roundup
Sport Friday, 08 November 2024

Sports weekend

Romanian football team FCSB has succeeded yet another win in UEFA Europa League. On Thursday, holders FCSB grabbed a 2-nil home win against Danish...

Sports weekend
Sports Roundup
Sport Thursday, 07 November 2024

Sports flash

Attention-grabbing, for starters, are results in men’s basketball. In EuroCup, Group B, U-BT Cluj-Napoca sustained a 80-99 away defat by Turk...

Sports flash
Photo: pixabay.com
Sport Wednesday, 06 November 2024

RRI Sports Club

The FCSB football team will play, on Thursday, a new match in Europa League, the second inter-club continental value echelon. The Romanian champion...

RRI Sports Club
Sports Roundup
Sport Monday, 04 November 2024

Sports Roundup

  Romania concluded the European Junior and U23 Championships in weightlifting held in Raszyn, Poland, with 11 medals, of which 4 gold, one...

Sports Roundup
Sport Friday, 01 November 2024

Sports Weekend

Romania’s handball team Dinamo Bucharest on Thursday outperformed German side Fuchse Berlin 38-31 in a home game counting towards the Champions...

Sports Weekend
Sport Thursday, 31 October 2024

Sports flash

Romanian women’s basketball team Sepsi Sfântu Gheorghe have succeeded their first win in EuroCup’s Group C. On Wednesday, holders Sepsi grabbed...

Sports flash
Sport Wednesday, 30 October 2024

Radio Romania International Sports club

Romanian Cup in football’s group phase kick-started on Tuesday. As part of the 2024-2025 edition, Romania’s best teams will thus prove their...

Radio Romania International Sports club
Sport Monday, 28 October 2024

Sports Round-up

The Romanian football Superleague matches were held this weekend. This leg’s derby was undoubtedly Sunday’s match hosted by the National Arena...

Sports Round-up

Partners

Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român
Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS
Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online
Institului European din România Institului European din România
Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti
Muzeul Național de Artă al României Muzeul Național de Artă al României
Le petit Journal Le petit Journal
Radio Prague International Radio Prague International
Muzeul Național de Istorie a României Muzeul Național de Istorie a României
ARCUB ARCUB
Radio Canada International Radio Canada International
Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti” Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti”
SWI swissinfo.ch SWI swissinfo.ch
UBB Radio ONLINE UBB Radio ONLINE
Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl
creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti
italradio italradio
Institutul Confucius Institutul Confucius
BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți

Affiliates

Euranet Plus Euranet Plus
AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters
Digital Radio Mondiale Digital Radio Mondiale
News and current affairs from Germany and around the world News and current affairs from Germany and around the world
Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona

Providers

RADIOCOM RADIOCOM
Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company