Kataja BC

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Kataja
Kataja logo
LeaguesKorisliiga
Founded1949; 77 years ago (1949)
ArenaMotonet Areena
Capacity2,500
LocationJoensuu, Finland
PresidentJukka Törmälä
Head coachPetri Virtanen
Championships2 Finnish Leagues
4 Finnish Cups
Retired numbers4 (9)(11) (14) (15)
Websitekatajabasket.fi

Kataja Basket Club (eng. Juniper) is a professional basketball club of sports club Kataja from Joensuu, Finland. The team plays in the Korisliiga, the highest tier of Finnish basketball. In 2015, Kataja won its first national championship, after it beat Bisons Loimaa 3–2 in the Finnish Finals.

History

[edit]

The basketball activity of the club started in 1955. In 1961, the team started playing in the Joensuu Sports Hall. The team started in provincial competitions, but quickly promoted to the national level in the 1960s. From 1976 till 1980, the team played continuously in the highest Finnish division. In the 2001–02 season, the team won its first trophy when it won the Finnish Cup. In 2015, the first championship of Kataja was realized after a 3–2 Finals series win against Bisons Loimaa. In the 2012–13 season, Kataja started participating in European competitions when it entered the EuroChallenge. The team immediately reached the quarterfinals of the competition, and has played in Europe every season since.[1]

Achievements

[edit]
Champions (2): 2014–15, 2016–17
Champions (4): 2002, 2011, 2012, 2023

Players

[edit]

Retired numbers

[edit]
Kataja Basket Club retired numbers
No.Nat.PlayerPositionTenure
9United StatesLeon HuffC1975–1978, 1979-1980, 1993-1994
11FinlandEero OksavaG1963–1980
14FinlandPetri VirtanenG2005–2007, 2008-2016
15FinlandSami LehtorantaC2005–2014

Current roster

[edit]
Kataja BC roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.Nat.NameHt.Wt.Age
SG1United StatesCurry, KeShawn1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)82 kg (181 lb) 27 – (1998-12-27)27 December 1998
PG4FinlandHirvonen, Tuomas (C)1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)78 kg (172 lb) 29 – (1996-05-17)17 May 1996
PG7FinlandSuokas, Teemu1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)84 kg (185 lb) 24 – (2001-03-27)27 March 2001
PG8FinlandPurmonen, Otso1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)80 kg (176 lb) 19 – (2006-10-25)25 October 2006
SG10FinlandLindberg, Sebastian1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)88 kg (194 lb) 23 – (2002-08-11)11 August 2002
PG13FinlandKarhu, Ville1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)75 kg (165 lb) 21 – (2004-01-23)23 January 2004
SF18FinlandPöntinen, Aale1.97 m (6 ft 6 in)93 kg (205 lb) 22 – (2003-10-08)8 October 2003
PF20United StatesJocelyn, Travis1.99 m (6 ft 6 in)99 kg (218 lb) 26 – (1999-03-20)20 March 1999
SF21FinlandKnihtinen, Teemu1.94 m (6 ft 4 in)89 kg (196 lb) 27 – (1998-12-10)10 December 1998
SF22FinlandTumba, Thomas1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)100 kg (220 lb) 24 – (2001-04-15)15 April 2001
C23United StatesSmith, Naje2.03 m (6 ft 8 in)95 kg (209 lb) 25 – (2000-04-05)5 April 2000
C44FinlandPöllä, Hannes2.11 m (6 ft 11 in)123 kg (271 lb) 27 – (1998-03-09)9 March 1998
SG45FinlandPermanto, Henri1.97 m (6 ft 6 in)88 kg (194 lb) 24 – (2001-03-05)5 March 2001
SFFinlandBesselink, Max2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) 23 – (2002-04-04)4 April 2002
SFFinlandKantonen, Henri1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 28 – (1997-08-20)20 August 1997
PG13United StatesHarmon, De'Vion1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)91 kg (201 lb) 24 – (2001-01-22)22 January 2001
Head coach

Finland Petri Virtanen

Assistant coach(es)

Finland Teemu Turunen

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Injured Injured
Updated: July 8, 2025

Notable players

[edit]

- Set a club record or won an individual award as a professional player.
- Played at least one official international match for his senior national team at any time.

Season by season

[edit]
SeasonTierLeaguePos.Finnish Cup[a]European competitions
2010–111Korisliiga2ndChampion
2011–121Korisliiga2ndChampion
2012–131Korisliiga3rd3 EuroChallengeQF6–8
2013–141Korisliiga2ndN/a3 EuroChallengeRS2–4
2014–151Korisliiga1st3 EuroChallengeRS0–6
2015–161Korisliiga5th3 FIBA Europe CupR325–7
2016–171Korisliiga1st3 Champions LeagueRS6–8
4 FIBA Europe CupR160–2
2017–181Korisliiga6th3 Champions LeagueQR31–1–2
4 FIBA Europe CupR24–8
2018–191Korisliiga5th4 FIBA Europe CupR28–8
2019–201Korisliiga7th[b]4 FIBA Europe CupRS3–5
2020–211Korisliiga7th
2021–221Korisliiga4th
2022–231Korisliiga3rd
2023–241Korisliiga4th4 FIBA Europe CupRS2–6
2024–251Korisliiga4th
  1. ^ The Finnish Cup competition was inactive from 2014–2018.
  2. ^ On 13 March 2020, the season was ended prematurely due to the coronavirus pandemic.[3]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Kataja Basket Club History". Eurobasket.com. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  2. ^ Fiifi Aidoo siirtyy Espanjan kolmannen sarjatason seuraan (Helsingin Sanomat), 11 August 2020. Accessed 9 February 2021.(in Finnish)
  3. ^ "Myös miesten ja naisten Korisliiga- ja divisioonakaudet päätökseen". Korisliiga. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kataja_BC&oldid=1319462795"
    Kataja
    Kataja logo
    LeaguesKorisliiga
    Founded1949; 77 years ago (1949)
    ArenaMotonet Areena
    Capacity2,500
    LocationJoensuu, Finland
    PresidentJukka Törmälä
    Head coachPetri Virtanen
    Championships2 Finnish Leagues
    4 Finnish Cups
    Retired numbers4 (9)(11) (14) (15)
    Websitekatajabasket.fi

    Kataja Basket Club (eng. Juniper) is a professional basketball club of sports club Kataja from Joensuu, Finland. The team plays in the Korisliiga, the highest tier of Finnish basketball. In 2015, Kataja won its first national championship, after it beat Bisons Loimaa 3–2 in the Finnish Finals.

    History

    The basketball activity of the club started in 1955. In 1961, the team started playing in the Joensuu Sports Hall. The team started in provincial competitions, but quickly promoted to the national level in the 1960s. From 1976 till 1980, the team played continuously in the highest Finnish division. In the 2001–02 season, the team won its first trophy when it won the Finnish Cup. In 2015, the first championship of Kataja was realized after a 3–2 Finals series win against Bisons Loimaa. In the 2012–13 season, Kataja started participating in European competitions when it entered the EuroChallenge. The team immediately reached the quarterfinals of the competition, and has played in Europe every season since.[1]

    Achievements

    Champions (2): 2014–15, 2016–17
    Champions (4): 2002, 2011, 2012, 2023

    Players

    Retired numbers

    Kataja Basket Club retired numbers
    No.Nat.PlayerPositionTenure
    9United StatesLeon HuffC1975–1978, 1979-1980, 1993-1994
    11FinlandEero OksavaG1963–1980
    14FinlandPetri VirtanenG2005–2007, 2008-2016
    15FinlandSami LehtorantaC2005–2014

    Current roster

    Kataja BC roster
    PlayersCoaches
    Pos.No.Nat.NameHt.Wt.Age
    SG1United StatesCurry, KeShawn1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)82 kg (181 lb) 27 – (1998-12-27)27 December 1998
    PG4FinlandHirvonen, Tuomas (C)1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)78 kg (172 lb) 29 – (1996-05-17)17 May 1996
    PG7FinlandSuokas, Teemu1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)84 kg (185 lb) 24 – (2001-03-27)27 March 2001
    PG8FinlandPurmonen, Otso1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)80 kg (176 lb) 19 – (2006-10-25)25 October 2006
    SG10FinlandLindberg, Sebastian1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)88 kg (194 lb) 23 – (2002-08-11)11 August 2002
    PG13FinlandKarhu, Ville1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)75 kg (165 lb) 21 – (2004-01-23)23 January 2004
    SF18FinlandPöntinen, Aale1.97 m (6 ft 6 in)93 kg (205 lb) 22 – (2003-10-08)8 October 2003
    PF20United StatesJocelyn, Travis1.99 m (6 ft 6 in)99 kg (218 lb) 26 – (1999-03-20)20 March 1999
    SF21FinlandKnihtinen, Teemu1.94 m (6 ft 4 in)89 kg (196 lb) 27 – (1998-12-10)10 December 1998
    SF22FinlandTumba, Thomas1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)100 kg (220 lb) 24 – (2001-04-15)15 April 2001
    C23United StatesSmith, Naje2.03 m (6 ft 8 in)95 kg (209 lb) 25 – (2000-04-05)5 April 2000
    C44FinlandPöllä, Hannes2.11 m (6 ft 11 in)123 kg (271 lb) 27 – (1998-03-09)9 March 1998
    SG45FinlandPermanto, Henri1.97 m (6 ft 6 in)88 kg (194 lb) 24 – (2001-03-05)5 March 2001
    SFFinlandBesselink, Max2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) 23 – (2002-04-04)4 April 2002
    SFFinlandKantonen, Henri1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 28 – (1997-08-20)20 August 1997
    PG13United StatesHarmon, De'Vion1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)91 kg (201 lb) 24 – (2001-01-22)22 January 2001
    Head coach

    Finland Petri Virtanen

    Assistant coach(es)

    Finland Teemu Turunen

    Legend
    • (C) Team captain
    • Injured Injured
    • Roster
    Updated: July 8, 2025

    Notable players

    - Set a club record or won an individual award as a professional player.
    - Played at least one official international match for his senior national team at any time.

    Season by season

    SeasonTierLeaguePos.Finnish Cup[a]European competitions
    2010–111Korisliiga2ndChampion
    2011–121Korisliiga2ndChampion
    2012–131Korisliiga3rd3 EuroChallengeQF6–8
    2013–141Korisliiga2ndN/a3 EuroChallengeRS2–4
    2014–151Korisliiga1st3 EuroChallengeRS0–6
    2015–161Korisliiga5th3 FIBA Europe CupR325–7
    2016–171Korisliiga1st3 Champions LeagueRS6–8
    4 FIBA Europe CupR160–2
    2017–181Korisliiga6th3 Champions LeagueQR31–1–2
    4 FIBA Europe CupR24–8
    2018–191Korisliiga5th4 FIBA Europe CupR28–8
    2019–201Korisliiga7th[b]4 FIBA Europe CupRS3–5
    2020–211Korisliiga7th
    2021–221Korisliiga4th
    2022–231Korisliiga3rd
    2023–241Korisliiga4th4 FIBA Europe CupRS2–6
    2024–251Korisliiga4th
    1. ^ The Finnish Cup competition was inactive from 2014–2018.
    2. ^ On 13 March 2020, the season was ended prematurely due to the coronavirus pandemic.[3]

    References

    1. ^ "Kataja Basket Club History". Eurobasket.com. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
    2. ^ Fiifi Aidoo siirtyy Espanjan kolmannen sarjatason seuraan (Helsingin Sanomat), 11 August 2020. Accessed 9 February 2021.(in Finnish)
    3. ^ "Myös miesten ja naisten Korisliiga- ja divisioonakaudet päätökseen". Korisliiga. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
    • Official site (in Finnish)
    Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kataja_BC&oldid=1319462795"