AKK Branik Maribor

Akademski košarkarski klub Branik Maribor (English: Academic Basketball Club Branik Maribor), commonly referred to as AKK Branik Maribor or simply Branik, is a basketball team based in Maribor, Slovenia. As of the 2021–22 season, Branik competes in the Slovenian Second League, the second-tier league of Slovenian basketball.

Branik Maribor
LeaguesSlovenian Second League
Founded1948 (1948)
(as KK Polet)
2001 (2001)
(as ŠD Primorac)
ArenaLjudski vrt Sports Hall
(Capacity: 2,100)
LocationMaribor, Slovenia
Team colorsWhite, Purple
   
PresidentRobert Karlo
Head coachAleksandar Ćikić
WebsiteOfficial website
Sports departments of Branik
Football
(active)		 Football
(defunct)		 Basketball
Handball Volleyball Water polo

The club was originally formed in 1948 as a basketball section of SŠD Polet. Branik folded in 2005 because of financial difficulties. A new club called ŠD Primorac was founded in 2001 and joined the Branik Sports Association in 2008. The club regard themselves as the continuation of the 2005 dissolved team.

History

1948–2005

The club was formed in 1948 as a basketball section of SŠD Polet.[1] In 1950, Polet renamed as Branik and won its first Slovenian republic title in 1952 after defeating Krim in the final.[2] In 1966, the club left the Branik Sports Association and renamed as KK Maribor 66.[2] Under that name, they played in the Yugoslav First Federal Basketball League in the 1969–70 season.[3] The club then competed as KK Marles due to the sponsorship agreement, while the Branik Sports Association formed its own team to compete in lower ranks. After Marles relegated to the republic level (third tier in Yugoslavia), both teams merged back in 1975 under the name Branik.[2] In 1987, the club merged with city rivals ŽKK Maribor to form KK Maribor 87 as a new city team.[3] The latter played in the Yugoslav 1. B League, but after Slovenia's independence in 1991 it disintegrated back to ŽKK and Branik.[2] Branik took Maribor 87's place in the Slovenian top division and played there until 2000. All teams based in Maribor, including Branik, folded in 2005.[3]

2008–present

ŠD Primorac Basketball School, formed in 2001, joined the Branik Sports Association in 2008 and renamed as AKK Branik in 2011.[1] The team has qualified for the Slovenian Second League in the 2007–08 season. Branik was relegated back to the third division after finishing in the last, 13th place in the 2012–13 season. After KK Maribor went bankrupt in 2015 and Branik became the only remaining basketball team in the city, the Basketball Federation of Slovenia invited them to compete in the Slovenian Second League for the 2015–16 season.[4]

Arena

The team's home arena is Ljudski vrt Sports Hall in Maribor with a capacity of 2,100.[5]

Season-by-season records
Season League Position Season League Position
1949Slovenian League5th1969*Yugoslav Second League West1st
1950Slovenian League2nd1970*Yugoslav First Federal League12th
1951Slovenian League2nd1970*Yugoslav Second League West6th
1952Slovenian League1st1971*Yugoslav Second League West12th
1953Slovenian League?1972Slovenian League12th
1954Slovenian League2nd1973Slovenian League8th
1955Slovenian League1st1974Slovenian League8th
1956Slovenian League2nd1975Slovenian League4th
1957Slovenian League5th1976Slovenian League7th
1958Slovenian League6th1977Slovenian League6th
1959Slovenian League5th1978Slovenian League1st
1960Slovenian League6th1979Slovenian League2nd
1961Slovenian League4th1980Slovenian League1st
1962Slovenian League3rd1981Yugoslav Second League West12th
1963Slovenian League5th1982Slovenian League3rd
1964Slovenian League5th1983Slovenian League7th
1965Slovenian League1st1984Slovenian League3rd
1966*Slovenian League3rd1985Slovenian League6th
1967*Slovenian League5th1986Slovenian League7th
1968*Yugoslav Second League West1st1987Slovenian League2nd
  • As Maribor 66

References
  1. "Zgodovina" [History] (in Slovenian). AKK Branik Maribor. Archived from the original on 31 December 2017. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
  2. Studia Historica Slovenica (2003). "Maribor skozi čas II". issuu.com (in Slovenian). Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  3. Lopatič, Jaka (14 December 2013). ""Maribor bi lahko bil najboljše košarkarsko mesto, če ne bi skozi tekla Drava"" (in Slovenian). Siol. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  4. "Mariborska košarka pred novimi izzivi" [Maribor basketball faces new challenges]. Ekipa24 (in Slovenian). 18 September 2015. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
  5. "Športna dvorana Lukna" [Lukna Sports Hall]. maribor.si (in Slovenian). Retrieved 27 June 2014.
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