BC VIČI-Aistės Kaunas was a Lithuanian women's basketball club based in Kaunas. Before ceasing operations due to financial difficulties,[1] the team was the most titled women's basketball club in Lithuania.

History

The team, originally called "Kibirkštis" (transl. "Spark"), was founded in Vilnius in 1961 as homage to a nearby electrical welding equipment plant. Its first coach was Algis Gedminas, a no-nonsense disciplinarian who had previously taught at a Moldavian pedagogical institute. Under Gedminas's direction, Kibirkštis quickly became a powerhouse in the Soviet Lithuanian women's basketball league, winning back-to-back championships in the late 1960s and early 1970s, as well as several bronze medals in the top-tier Soviet basketball tournament. The team was led by women who represented Soviet Union national team in various European Championships and Olympic Tournaments, including Larisa Vinčaitė, Angelė Jankūnaitė-Rupšienė and Vida Šulskytė-Beselienė.

After Lithuania's restoration of independence, the team continued to dominate in the Lithuanian basketball championship, attracting local talent such as Aneta Kaušaitė and Jurgita Štreimikytė-Virbickienė (the first two Lithuanian players in the WNBA) and international talent alike. During this transitionary period, Kibirkštis's name changed to "Ryšininkas-Šviesa" in 1990, "Telerina" in 1992, "Lietuvos Telekomas" in 1995 and "TEO" in 2006. The team also established a subsidiary club "Lintel-118" around 2000, which tailored to youth development and competed in LMKL and LMKAL until its folding in 2006.[2] One notable alumna is Gintarė Petronytė, a two-time EuroCup Women champion who started her career with "Lintel-118" in 2005.

Telekomas reached unprecedented heights in the 2004-05 and 2005-06 season, when, headed by Algirdas Paulauskas, the team won the LMKL, BWBL tournaments and reached the semifinal in the top-tier EuroLeague Women tournament. WNBA All-Star and Champion Katie Douglas, European Basketball Champion Jurgita Štreimikytė and two-time EuroLeague bronze medalist Sandra Linkevičienė formed this team’s core.

In 2010, TEO relocated to Kaunas and was renamed "VIČI-Aistės". After two successful seasons, the team dissolved due to a lack of sponsorship.

Titles

Season Domestic League Regional League International League
League Pos League Pos League Pos
1961–62 Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic Lithuanian Soviet Championship 3 Soviet Union USSR Championship 24
1963–64 Soviet Union USSR Championship 14
1964–65 Soviet Union USSR Championship 15
1965–66 Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic Lithuanian Soviet Championship 3 Soviet Union USSR Championship 13
1967–68 Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic Lithuanian Soviet Championship 1 Soviet Union USSR Championship 4
1968–69 Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic Lithuanian Soviet Championship 1 Soviet Union USSR Championship 3
1969–70 Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic Lithuanian Soviet Championship 1 Soviet Union USSR Championship 5
1970–71 Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic Lithuanian Soviet Championship 1 Soviet Union USSR Championship 3
1971–72 Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic Lithuanian Soviet Championship 1 Soviet Union USSR Championship 3
1972–73 Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic Lithuanian Soviet Championship 3 Soviet Union USSR Championship 7
1974–75 Soviet Union USSR Championship 6
1975–76 Soviet Union USSR Championship 5
1976–77 Soviet Union USSR Championship 4
1977–78 Soviet Union USSR Championship 4
1978–79 Soviet Union USSR Championship 4
1979–80 Soviet Union USSR Championship 6
1980–81 Soviet Union USSR Championship 9
1981–82 Soviet Union USSR Championship 8
1983–84 Soviet Union USSR Championship 3
1989–90 Lithuania Lithuanian League 1
1990–91 Lithuania Lithuanian League 1
1991–92 Lithuania Lithuanian League 1
1992–93 Lithuania Lithuanian League 1
1994–95 Lithuania Lithuanian League 1 European Union Baltic League 1
1995–96 Lithuania Lithuanian League 1 European Union Baltic League 2
1996–97 Lithuania Lithuanian League European Union Baltic League 2
1997–98 Lithuania Lithuanian League European Union Baltic League
1998–99 Lithuania Lithuanian League European Union Baltic League 3
1999–00 Lithuania Lithuanian League 1 European Union Baltic League 1
2000–01 Lithuania Lithuanian League 1 European Union Baltic League 1 Euroleague Women Eight Final
2001–02 Lithuania Lithuanian League 1 European Union Baltic League 1 Euroleague Women Group Stage
2002–03 Lithuania Lithuanian League 1 European Union Baltic League 1
2003–04 Lithuania Lithuanian League 1 European Union Baltic League 1 Euroleague Women Group Stage
2004–05 Lithuania Lithuanian League 1 European Union Baltic League 1 Euroleague Women 3
2005–06 Lithuania Lithuanian League 1 European Union Baltic League 1 Euroleague Women 4
2006–07 Lithuania Lithuanian League 1 European Union Baltic League 1
2007–08 Lithuania Lithuanian League 1 European Union Baltic League 1
2008–09 Lithuania Lithuanian League 1 European Union Baltic League 1
2009–10 Lithuania Lithuanian League 1 European Union Baltic League 1
2010–11 Lithuania Lithuanian League 1 European Union Baltic League 1
2011–12 Lithuania Lithuanian League 1 European Union Baltic League 1

Notable players

Head coaches

  • Algis Gedminas (1961–1981)
  • Valentinas Kanapkis (1981–1986)
  • Heino Lill (1988–1989)
  • Valentinas Kanapkis (1994–1997)
  • Algirdas Budėnas (1998–2001)
  • Algirdas Paulauskas (2001–2007)
  • Rūtenis Paulauskas (2007–2009)
  • Mantas Šernius (2010–2012)

References

  1. "Moterų Eurolyga – be Lietuvos klubų". basketnews.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 2020-06-01.
  2. "LMKL pirmenybėse žais Latvijos čempionės". kauno.diena.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 2020-06-03.
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