TTT Riga

Latvian women's basketball club From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

TTT Rīga is a professional women's basketball club based in Riga, Latvia. The abbreviation "TTT" stands for 'Tram and Trolley Trust'. The team held its first official game on 5 November 1958. The next 25 years are known as the First Golden Age of the club. Internationally, the club was also known as Daugava Riga, because Daugava was the predecessor of TTT Riga in the 1950s.

Founded1958
ArenaArena Riga
(capacity: 12,500)
LocationRiga, Latvia
Quick facts Leagues, Founded ...
TTT Riga
TTT Riga logo
LeaguesLSBL
EWBL
EuroCup Women
Founded1958
ArenaArena Riga
(capacity: 12,500)
LocationRiga, Latvia
Team colorsWhite and Orange
   
Head coachMārtiņš Zībarts
Championships23 LSBL Championship:
1992, 1993, 1995, 2001-2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2014-2023
18 EuroLeague Women:
1960–1962, 1964–75, 1977, 1981, 1982
1 Ronchetti Cup:
1987
2 EWBL:
2016, 2019
Websitetttriga.lv
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History

The founding of the TTT women's team can be traced back to 14 August 1958, when a sports hall was unveiled on the second floor of a paintshop at the Tram and Trolley Trust (Latvian: Tramvaju un trolejbusu trests) - a public transport company in Soviet-occupied Latvia - at their depot at Klijānu iela (Klijānu St.). The Daugava Sports Hall women's basketball team, that had already been established around this time, then became managed by the trust.[1]

Led by famous Latvian basketball player and coach Oļģerts Altbergs, TTT Riga conquered its first European title in 1960, winning the European Cup for Women's Champion Clubs (since 1992 known as EuroLeague Women). Dzidra Uztupe-Karamiševa, Skaidrīte Smildziņa-Budovska, Vita Siliņa-Lūka (Karpova), Dzintra Ķiepe-Baka and other outstanding players of the time brought women's basketball to new levels. Seventeen more European titles were added during next 22 years[2] – achievement unequalled until this day.

The rise of Uļjana Semjonova, who joined TTT Riga in 1965, at the age of 13, confirmed the golden status of TTT. From 1964 to 1975, TTT earned 12 consecutive European titles. In 18 seasons of international competition Uļjana Semjonova never lost a game in national team competition.

The late 1980s and 1990s marked a decline of the once famous club, although TTT won a Ronchetti Cup in 1987. The best Latvian players, with Semjonova being the first one, continued their professional careers in France, Spain and Italy. It took ten years after Latvia regained independence, while TTT re-entered the Liliana Ronchetti Cup in 2001. Their entry followed only five years later.[clarification needed]

The autumn of 2006 was a turning point in history of the club. New leadership and new management launched a long term project to unite the best Latvian players under the famous club name, first foreign internationals – like Brazilian and WNBA star Iziane Castro Marques – came to Latvia. In the spring of 2007, TTT Riga after one year silence regained the Latvian title and applied for the participation in FIBA EuroLeague Women. The 20072008 season was the 50th for the club.

In a historic moment for Latvian women’s basketball, TTT Riga secured a remarkable victory over the defending EuroLeague champions UMMC Ekaterinburg on 27 November 2019 behind 24 points and 8 rebounds from Marina Mabrey.

Players of note

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famers

Current roster

More information Players, Coaches ...
TTT Riga roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.Nat.NameHt.Wt.Age
G 1 Latvia Elizabete Bulāne 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) 23 – (2003-01-01)1 January 2003
G 3 Sweden Binta Drammeh 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in) 33 – (1992-05-21)21 May 1992
F 4 Latvia Paula Strautmane 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) 29 – (1997-03-23)23 March 1997
F 5 United States Megan Huff 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) 29 – (1996-04-17)17 April 1996
F 10 Latvia Karlīne Pilābere 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) 35 – (1990-11-16)16 November 1990
F 11 Latvia Paula Mauriņa 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) 24 – (2002-01-18)18 January 2002
G 12 Latvia Vanesa Jasa 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) 22 – (2003-07-09)9 July 2003
C 13 Latvia Aija Klakocka 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) 39 – (1986-10-17)17 October 1986
F 14 Latvia Eva Indriķe 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) 24 – (2001-07-05)5 July 2001
F 17 Latvia Anita Miķelsone 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) 24 – (2001-12-13)13 December 2001
C 22 Latvia Zenta Meļņika 1.97 m (6 ft 6 in) 34 – (1991-09-06)6 September 1991
G 23 United States Linnae Harper 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) 31 – (1995-01-31)31 January 1995
F 33 Latvia Kitija Laksa 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) 29 – (1996-05-21)21 May 1996
F 35 Latvia Kate Krēsliņa 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) 29 – (1996-04-14)14 April 1996
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
  • Latvia Matīss Rožlapa

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Injured Injured

Updated: October 21, 2018
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Notable past players

Championships

References

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