View source for BC Rustavi

{{Infobox Basketball club
| color1        =white
| color2        =black
| name          = Rustavi 1991
| logo          = BC Rustavi logo.png
| imagesize     = 
| image         = 
| leagues       =[[Georgian Superliga]]
| founded       = {{Start date and age|1991}}
| history       = '''BC Azoti''' <br>(1991–1995) <br /> '''BC Kimikosi''' (1995–1997)<br>'''BC Azoti'''<br>(1997–2005)<br>'''BC Rustavi'''<br>(2005–present)
| arena         = Azot Arena
| capacity      = 750
| location      =[[Rustavi]], [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]]
| colors        =black and white <br>{{color box|black}} {{color box|white}}
| president     =  Giorgi Gogoberishvili
| coach         = [[Mikheil Beruashvili]]
| championships = '''4''' [[Georgian Superliga]]s
| website       = http://basketball.energyinvest.ge/
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'''BC Rustavi''' ({{lang-ka|'''საკალათბურთო კლუბი რუსთავი'''}}) is a professional basketball club based in the city of [[Rustavi]], [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]]. The club competes in the [[Georgian Superliga]], and plays its home games in the Rustavi sports arena.

==History==

The club was founded in 1991 as BC Azoti, and began competing in the newly established [[Georgian Superliga|Georgian national league]]. It is one of only 2 clubs (the other being [[BC Dinamo Tbilisi|Dinamo Tbilisi]]) to have participated in the league continuously throughout its existence. Rustavi challenged for high positions in the league on a consistent basis, and recorded numerous top 3 finishes, always falling short of winning trophies.

The club's fortunes changed in 2006, when it acquired major sponsorship from the investment company 'Energy Invest'. They were now able to attract some of the best Georgian players to the club, as well as foreign imports. As a result, Rustavi convincingly won 4 league championships in a row, between 2007 and 2010. In addition, they won the Georgian cup in 2009, and numerous smaller national competitions. At the end of the 2009/10 season, 'Energy Invest' announced that the level of funding for the club would diminish, forcing them to compete with a young team and modest ambitions for 2 years. In 2012, the funding increased once more, and the squad was considerably strengthened.

Rustavi took part in various international competitions on several occasions, such as the [[Korać Cup]] in 1997, 98 and 99; the [[Eurocup Basketball|Eurocup]] in 2007; and the [[EuroChallenge]] in 2008, but failed to advance beyond the qualifying rounds on each occasion.

==Honours==

* '''[[Georgian Super Liga|Georgian Superliga]]'''
** Winner (5): 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2021
** Runner-up (4): 1998, 1999, 2000, 2006
* '''Georgian Cup'''
** Winner (1): 2009
* '''Dadiani Memorial Trophy'''
** Winner (5): 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
*'''Korkia/Sakandelidze Memorial Trophy'''
** Winner (5): 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2020

==Players==
===Current roster===
{{Basketball roster nationality note}}
{{Basketball roster header|team=BC Rustavi
| color1 = white | bg1 = #b50000| color2 = white | bg2 = black | ht = n | wt = n | age = n }}
<!-- list of players -->
{{player3 | num =0 | nat = AUS | name = Nelson Larkins | pos = G }}
{{player3 | num =3 | nat = ISV | name = Jason Perry-Murray | pos = PF }}
{{player3 | num =6 | nat = GEO | name = Gegi Baqradze | pos = C }}
{{player3 | num =7 | nat = GEO | name = Levan Tsekvava | pos = G }}
{{player3 | num =8 | nat = GEO | name = Merab Bokolishvili | pos = G }}
{{player3 | num =11 | nat = USA | name = Denzel Livingston | pos = G }}
{{player3 | num =13 | nat = GEO | name = Zurab Vashakidze | pos = SG }}
{{player3 | num =21 | nat = GEO | name = Akaki Dvalishvili | pos = PF }}

<!-- end list of players -->
{{Basketball roster footer
| head_coach =
{{flagicon|GEO}} [[Anatoli Boisa]]
| asst_coach = 
{{flagicon|GEO}} [[Mikheil Beruashvili]]

| roster_url = https://basketball.eurobasket.com/team/Georgia/BC-Rustavi-1991/2542
| accessdate = 7 August 2020 }}

===Notable players===
'''To appear in this section a player must have either:'''<br>
- Set a club record or won an individual award as a professional player.<br>
- Played at least one official international match for his senior national team.<br>
*{{flagicon|GEO}} [[Rati Andronikashvili]]
*{{flagicon|NED}} [[Craig Osaikhwuwuomwan]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120330221041/http://basketball.energyinvest.ge/ Official Website] {{in lang|ka|en}}
*[https://basketball.eurobasket.com/team/Georgia/BC-Rustavi-1991/2542] {{in lang|en}}

[[Category:Basketball teams established in 1991]]
[[Category:Basketball teams in Georgia (country)]]
[[Category:Rustavi]]


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