BK Liepāja

Latvian basketball club

BK Liepāja

Leagues| Latvian–Estonian Basketball League
Latvian Basketball League
Founded| 1991; 34 years ago (1991)
History| Liepājas Metalurgs
Baltika/Kaija
BK Liepāja
Līvu alus/Liepāja
Liepājas Lauvas
Betsafe/Liepāja
BK Liepāja
Arena| Liepāja Olympic Center
Capacity| 2542
Location| Liepāja, Latvia
Team colors| Dark blue, white and red

President|  Āris Ozoliņš
Team manager|  Normunds Atvars
Head coach|  Artūrs Visockis-Rubenis
Website| liepajasbasketbols.lv

Home

Away

|

BK Liepāja, known as Betsafe/Liepāja for sponsorship reasons, is a professional basketball club in Liepāja, Latvia playing in the Latvian-Estonian Basketball League and Latvian Basketball League.

Liepāja team's greatest achievement in Latvian Basketball League came in 1997 when it won second place. It has also come in third in 2000, 2011, 2012, and 2023.[1]

## History

[edit]

Basketball team named “Sarkanais metalurgs” from the city of Liepāja first won Latvian SSR championship in 1963.[2] During the years teams changed names, since 1991, after Latvia regained independence from Soviet Union, according to sponsorships. Previous team names were Liepājas Metalurgs, Baltika/Kaija, BK Liepāja, Līvu alus/Liepāja, Liepājas Lauvas, Liepāja/Triobet.

In May 2018, the team was reorganized into Liepājas Basketbols with the goal of creating a unified basketball system for Liepāja for junior and professional player development.[3] The team announced the beginning of its sponsorship by Betsafe following Betsson's decision to merge the Triobet brand, which previously sponsored BK Liepāja, into that brand.[1]

Since 2020, with the hiring of Latvian National team assistant and 2018 FIBA U18 European Championship silver medalist Artūrs Visockis-Rubenis as their head coach, BK Liepāja focuses on building teams around new talents.

In 2021/2022 season BK Liepāja made their international debut, competing in newly founded European North Basketball League. Liepāja won one of five games and finished the tournament at 5th place.

During the 2022/2023 season Liepāja won the bronze medal in Latvian league. Many players established themselves for the next level. After an excellent season with Liepāja, Kārlis Šiliņš signed in German Bundesliga. Renārs Birkāns signed with 10-time Latvian champion BK Ventspils.

## Players

[edit]

### Current roster

[edit]

BK Liepāja roster

Players | Coaches
| Pos. | No. | Nat. | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Age |

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

G/F | 10 |  | Kristiāns Šulcs | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)  | 92 kg (203 lb)  |  22 – (2002-09-26)26 September 2002  |
PG |  |  | Emīls Krūmiņš | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)  | 84 kg (185 lb)  |  23 – (2001-10-10)10 October 2001  |
SG |  |  | Edvards Egle | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)  | 82 kg (181 lb)  |  19 – (2005-10-07)7 October 2005  |
PF |  |  | Kristians Feierbergs | 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in)  | 100 kg (220 lb)  |  22 – (2002-08-26)26 August 2002  |
PG |  |  | Reds Martinsons | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)  | 70 kg (154 lb)  |  17 – (2007-09-11)11 September 2007  |
PF |  |  | Vitalii Shymanskyi | 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in)  |  |  22 – (2003-03-11)11 March 2003  |

Head coach

*   * Artūrs Visockis-Rubenis

Assistant coach(es)

*   * Agris Steckis
*   * Olafs Ozols
*   * Aigars Bergsons

Physiotherapist(s)

*   * Līvija Grantiņa

* * *

Legend

* (C) Team captain
* Injured

* * *

* Roster

Updated: August 7, 2025

### Depth chart

[edit]

Pos.  | Starting 5  | Bench  |  |  |

|
|
|
|
|

C |  |  |  |  |
PF | Kristians Feierbergs | Vitalii Shymanskyi |  |  |
SF |  |  |  |  |
SG | Edvards Egle | Kristiāns Šulcs |  |  |
PG | Emīls Krūmiņš | Reds Martinsons |  |  |

### Squad changes for the 2025–26 season

[edit]

#### In

[edit]

Note: Flags indicate national team, as has been defined under FIBA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIBA nationality.

|  | No. | Pos. | Nat. | Player

|
|
|

| PG |  LVA | Emīls Krūmiņš (from  Rapla KK)
| SG |  LVA | Edvards Egle (from  LU)
| PF |  UKR | Vitalii Shymanskyi (from  Keila KK)
| PF |  LVA | Kristians Feierbergs (from  Florida Southern)

#### Out

[edit]

Note: Flags indicate national team, as has been defined under FIBA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIBA nationality.

|  | No. | Pos. | Nat. | Player

|
|
|

25  | PG |  LVA | Edgars Lasenbergs (to  Traiskirchen Lions)
15  | C |  LVA | Klāvs Dubults (to  Landstede Hammers)
8  | PF |  LVA | Rodijs Mačoha (to  Rīgas Zeļļi)
35  | SG |  LVA | Kristaps Ķilps (to  VEF Rīga)
7  | PF |  LVA | Roberts Freimanis (to career end)
1  | PG |  LVA | Ričards Vitoļskis (to free agent)
3  | SG |  LVA | Mārtiņš Kilups (to free agent)
22  | SF |  LVA | Kristaps Miglinieks (to free agent)
33  | SF |  LVA | Rihards Kuksiks (to free agent)
88  | PF |  LVA | Rinalds Mālmanis (to free agent)
17  | C |  LVA | Henriks Bajārs (to free agent)

### Historical rosters

[edit]

2024-25 season roster

Pos. | Starting 5 | Bench 1 | Bench 2
C |  #15 Klāvs Dubults |  #88 Rinalds Mālmanis |  #17 Henriks Bajārs
PF |  #8 Rodijs Mačoha |  #7 Roberts Freimanis C |  #12 Vitalii Kuznetsov
SF |  #22 Kristaps Miglinieks |  #33 Rihards Kuksiks |  #10 Kristiāns Šulcs
SG |  #35 Kristaps Ķilps |  #3 Mārtiņš Kilups |
PG |  #25 Edgars Lasenbergs |  #1 Ričards Vitoļskis |  #5 Reds Martinsons

## Season by season

[edit]

Season  | League  | Pos.  | Baltic League | Pos.  | Latvian-Estonian League | Pos.

|
|
|
|
|
|

1991–92  | LBL | 8th  |
1992–93  | LBL | 8th  |
1993–94  | LBL | 11th  |
1994–95  | LBL | 9th  |
1995–96  | LBL | 7th  |
1996–97  | LBL | 2nd  |
1997–98  | LBL | 5th  |
1998–99  | LBL | 5th  |
1999–00  | LBL | 3rd  |
2000–01  | LBL | 4th  |
2001–02  | LBL | 7th  |
2002–03  | LBL | 4th  |
2003–04  | LBL | 5th  |
2004–05  | LBL | 5th  | Challenge Cup | 5th
2005–06  | LBL | 6th  | Elite Division | 13th
2006–07  | LBL | 4th  |
2007–08  | LBL | 6th  | Challenge Cup | 4th
2008–09  | LBL | 6th  | Challenge Cup | 8th
2009–10  | LBL | 5th  | Elite Division | 9th
2010–11  | LBL | 3rd  | Elite Division | 12th
2011–12 | LBL | 3rd  | Elite Division | 14th
2012–13  | LBL | 9th  | Regular season
2013–14 | LBL | 6th  | Round of 16
2014–15 | LBL | 4th  | Round of 16
2015–16 | LBL | 4th  | Quarterfinalist
2016–17 | LBL | 6th  | Quarterfinalist
2017–18 | LBL | 8th  | Regular season
2018–19 | LBL | 7th  |  | Latvian–Estonian Basketball League | 13th
2019–20 | LBL | 7th  |  | Latvian–Estonian Basketball League | cancelled
2020–21 | LBL | 3rd  |  | Latvian–Estonian Basketball League | 7th
2021–22 | LBL | 6th  |  | Latvian–Estonian Basketball League | 12th
2022–23 | LBL | 3rd  |  | Latvian–Estonian Basketball League | 10th
2023–24 | LBL | 4th  |  | Latvian–Estonian Basketball League | 11th
2024–25 | LBL | 6th  |  | Latvian–Estonian Basketball League | 7th

## Notable players

[edit]

* Edgars Jeromanovs
* Mareks Jurevičus
* Mārtiņš Meiers
* Mareks Mejeris
* Jānis Porziņģis
* Artūrs Štālbergs
* Jānis Timma
* Raimonds Vaikulis
* Uģis Viļums
* Paul Butorac
* Vernon Hamilton
* Josh Mayo
* Ashton Mitchell
* Malcolm Griffin
* Kris Richard
* Martynas Andriukaitis
* Valdas Dabkus
* Laimonas Kisielius

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b ""Liepāja"/"Triobet" pārtop par "Betsafe"/"Liepāja"". irliepaja.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 2024-12-17.
2. ^ "Latvijas komandas – legendas, kausi, tituli" (in Latvian). basket.lv. 19 March 2025. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
3. ^ "Ate papildina "Liepājas basketbols" komandas rindas" (in Latvian). IRLiepaja.lv. 22 July 2018. Retrieved 29 July 2018.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website (in Latvian)

* v
* t
* e

Latvijas Basketbola līga

Clubs|

* VEF Rīga
* BK Ventspils
* Valmiera/ORDO
* Betsafe/Liepāja
* BK Ogre
* Latvijas Universitāte

Seasons|

* 1991–92
* 1992–93
* 1993–94
* 1994–95
* 1995–96
* 1996–97
* 1997–98
* 1998–99
* 1999–00
* 2000–01
* 2001–02
* 2002–03
* 2003–04
* 2004–05
* 2005–06
* 2006–07
* 2007–08
* 2008–09
* 2009–10
* 2010–11
* 2011–12
* 2012–13
* 2013–14
* 2014–15
* 2015–16
* 2016–17
* 2017–18
* 2018–19
* 2019–20
* 2020–21
* 2021–22
* 2022–23
* 2023–24

*[Pos.]: Position(s)
*[No.]: Jersey number
*[Nat.]: Nationality
*[Ht.]: Height
*[Wt.]: Weight
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template