Perlas (basketball club)

Basketball team in Vilnius, Lithuania

Perlas Energija

Leagues| Nacionalinė krepšinio lyga
Founded| 2003
History| BC Perlas
(2003-2011)
BC Perlas-MRU
(2011-2012)
BC Vilnius-MRU
(2012-2013)
BC Perlas-MRU
(2013-2016)
BC Perlas
(2016-2020)
BC Perlas Energija
(2020-present)
Arena| Jeep Arena
Location| Vilnius, Lithuania
Team colors| Black, Red and White

Head coach|  Edvinas Justa
Affiliation(s)| Rytas
Championships| None
Website| Official website

Home

Away

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BC Perlas Energija, is a professional basketball club based in Vilnius, Lithuania, currently competing in the Nacionalinė krepšinio lyga. BC Perlas is a daughter club of the Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius.

Perlas club was founded in 2003. Over the decade the team had many variations of its name, but it always had the word "Perlas" (Pearl) in it except during 2012–2013 season, when it was called "Vilnius-MRU".[1] It developed young prospects and became a springboard to professional career for former Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius players, Dovydas Redikas and BC Žalgiris former player Mindaugas Kuzminskas. Undoubtedly, Perlas’ best-known alumnus is Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius, Memphis Grizzlies and Lithuania men's national basketball team center Jonas Valančiūnas.

"Perlas-MRU" qualified for second tier Lithuanian basketball league (NKL) playoffs for the first time in the 2006–2007 season. An ambitious and young team in 2009 went on a commercial basis to play in the LKL. During two seasons in the league "Perlas-MRU" finished regular season respectively in 8th and 7th places. On 14 July 2011, the club merged with NKL champions „Pieno Žvaigždės“, with many players signing with BC Pieno žvaigždės as a result.[2]

In 2011–2012 season after returning to the NKL, "Perlas-MRU" did not qualify for the playoffs. In 2012–2013 season the results for the team were much better. In the regular season Vilnius team was ranked 12th (14/20), but in the Round of 16 it eliminated fifth ranked Sūduva-Mantinga (2:1). In the quarterfinals, "Perlas-MRU" met with Jonavos "Triobet" but was eliminated after three intense matches.

In 2013–2014 season Perlas once again qualified for NKL playoffs. In round of 16 Mindaugas Sakalauskas players crushed Klaipedos Nafta-Universitetas (3:0) and in quarterfinals after 5 games was forced to concede to Delikatesas Joniškis .[3]

## Players[edit]

### Current roster[edit]

BC Perlas Energija roster

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

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SF | 0 |  | Šukelis, Justas | 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)  | 95 kg (209 lb)  |  25 – (1997-11-22)22 November 1997  |
PG | 2 |  | Adomavičius, Arnas | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)  | 85 kg (187 lb)  |  23 – (2000-02-03)3 February 2000  |
PF | 7 |  | Valantinas, Lukas | 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in)  | 80 kg (176 lb)  |  22 – (2001-02-25)25 February 2001  |
SG | 9 |  | Rimkus, Pijus | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)  | 80 kg (176 lb)  |  22 – (2001-01-11)11 January 2001  |
PG | 10 |  | Rubinas, Jokūbas | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)  | 73 kg (161 lb)  |  21 – (2002-02-06)6 February 2002  |
PG | 12 |  | Klimas, Laurynas | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)  | 75 kg (165 lb)  |  19 – (2004-01-27)27 January 2004  |
F | 13 |  | Valuntonis, Vilius | 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in)  | 85 kg (187 lb)  |  21 – (2002-01-17)17 January 2002  |
C | 18 |  | Jocius, Rokas | 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in)  | 97 kg (214 lb)  |  20 – (2003-07-04)4 July 2003  |
SG | 19 |  | Bieliauskas, Nojus | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)  | 80 kg (176 lb)  |  22 – (2001-01-19)19 January 2001  |
SF | 21 |  | Mikėnas, Matas | 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in)  | 92 kg (203 lb)  |  20 – (2003-04-24)24 April 2003  |
SF | 23 |  | Subotkevič, Robert | 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in)  | 90 kg (198 lb)  |  25 – (1998-05-27)27 May 1998  |
SF | 26 |  | Kalogiros, Andreas | 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in)  | 92 kg (203 lb)  |  20 – (2002-08-23)23 August 2002  |
SG | 27 |  | Šimonis, Adas | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)  | 85 kg (187 lb)  |  22 – (2001-05-22)22 May 2001  |
PF | 32 |  | Jermolajevas, Erikas | 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in)  | 91 kg (201 lb)  |  22 – (2001-02-24)24 February 2001  |
SF | 90 |  | Baltrušaitis, Tautvydas | 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in)  | 84 kg (185 lb)  |  20 – (2003-06-11)11 June 2003  |

Head coach

*   * Edvinas Justa

Assistant coach(es)

*   * Ignas Pagalys
*   * Gustas Maskoliūnas

Athletic trainer(s)

*   * Andrius Birulinas

psychotherapist

*   * Agnė Jonkutė

* * *

Legend

* (C) Team captain
* Injured

* * *

* Roster

Updated: 2020-10-19

### Notable players[edit]

* Jonas Valančiūnas
* Mindaugas Kuzminskas
* Eimantas Bendžius
* Arvydas Šikšnius
* Deividas Sirvydis
* Evaldas Kairys
* Dovis Bičkauskis
* Margiris Normantas
* Marek Blaževič
* Gytis Radzevičius
* Dominykas Domarkas
* Edvinas Šeškus
* Saulius Kulvietis
* Paulius Dambrauskas
* Vytautas Šarakauskas
* Vilmantas Dilys
* Augustas Marčiulionis
* Einaras Tubutis

## History[edit]

Season  | League  | Pos.  | Significant Events  | Baltic League  | Pos.  | LKF Cup

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2009–10  | LKL | 8  | Quarterfinalist  | Challenge Cup | 3  | Quarterfinalist
2010–11  | LKL | 7  | Quarterfinalist  | Elite Division | 11  | First round
2014–15  | NKL | 1  | Quarterfinalist

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Pavadinimą pakeitęs "Perlas-MRU" sezonui ruoštis išvyko į Kiniją".
2. ^ Pieno žvaigždės bought BC Perlas (Lithuanian)
3. ^ "Nacionalinė krepšinio lyga - NKL". www.nklyga.lt.

## External links[edit]

* Official website (in Lithuanian)
* BC Perlas at NKL.lt (in Lithuanian)

* v
* t
* e

Lithuania National Basketball League (NKL)

* Atletas
* Delikatesas
* Gargždai
* Kretinga
* Kuršiai
* Mažeikiai
* Neptūnas-Akvaservis
* Perlas
* Perlas Energija
* Sūduva-Mantinga
* Šilutė
* Telšiai
* Vytis
* Žalgiris-2

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