Basketball team "Gulbenes Buki"

Basketball team "Gulbenes Buki"

Gulbene is one of the few cities in Latvia where basketball was seriously practiced already at the beginning of Latvian basketball - in the thirties of the 20th century.

In the 1970s, the school basketball teams coached by sports teachers Pauļis Baltgaiļis, Jura Bašķer and others were among the strongest in rural Latvia.

On the other hand, in 1996/1997 In the season of 2011, the Gulbene basketball team, known at the time as "Santa", while playing in the second highest league of Latvia, won the right to play in the highest division of the Latvian Basketball League under the leadership of coach Alda Sproģ. The team was made up of talented local guys - sports school students born in 1978, 1979, 1982 and 1984, who, together with coaches Aldi Sprogi and Vija Kalniņa, had also won several Latvian Youth Basketball League medals.

In 1997, the Gulbene Olympic club "Buks" and the basketball team "Bukis" were founded, which became a phenomenon in Latvian basketball - there was no other such team in Latvia, in which almost only local boys, students of the local sports school, peers played.

The team's success was forged by basketball players who grew up in Gulbene and later became Gulbene legends. The most famous are Edmunds Gabrāns, Raimonds Gabrāns, Igors Dudarevs, Daumants Dreishkens, Raitis Garais, Artūrs Brūniņš, Jānis Graudiņš, Uldis Rudzītis, Pāvels Veselovs, Jānis Vītols, Gundars Rauza, Yuris Aleksejevs, Agris Kazāks, Agris Galvanovskis and Ivars Timmermanis.

"Gulbenes Buki" played in the 1st division of the Latvian Basketball League from 1997 to 2009. The 7th place was won in the first season together with the coach Pēteri Visņeviču, and in the next season - 1998/1999. in the season of 2008 – bronze medals were won (coach Maigonis Valdmanis). Bronze was also won in 2000/2001. and 2001/2002 in the season together with coach Jānis Zeltiņa.

Since 2009, "Gulbenes Buki" has been playing in the 2nd division of the Latvian Basketball League, or the National Basketball League. In 2014, the current club president Gatis Rikveilis sat at the helm of "Buku", who together with coach Artūras Brūniņa gradually began to pave the team's path to the top of the National League (LBL 2). 2017/2018 In the season of 2018, a bronze award was won, but in the following season (2018/2019), the fighting spirit of "Buku" was rewarded by winning the championship title, when the Ķekava team was defeated in a tight series to three victories (3:2), and the golden feast could begin in Gulbene.

"Bukis" have always been and will be much more than a sheep in the tournament table. All over Latvia, the name of "Gulbenes Buku" was carried by the hot-blooded and loud fans who filled the "Buku" home game halls or "Blue Bird" tribunes, not shy to put pressure on the referees and opponents. The team has massive fan support even today, when the games are played in the new hall - the Gulbene Sports Center. The moments when the attendance of games is so great that fans stand on their feet even in the spacious sports center are still relevant. The famous slogan "The Bucks are the best!", which the supporters shout together both when the team is on the field and during the game, has also not been lost.

"Gulbenes Buki" has been a second breath for the careers of experienced coaches Pēteras Visņevičas and Jānis Zeltiņš, the tragic last game for basketball legend Maigonis Valdmanis and a professional journey bread for the future national team and youth national team coaches Agris Galvanovskis, Arvi Steckis and Kaspars Mājenieks.

Playing for Gulbenes Bukos has always been an honor. Also, "Bukis" have helped their own - Raimonds Gabrāns, Pavel Veselov, Ivars Timmermans, Yuri Alekseevs, Kristaps Purni and Kaspars Tsipras - on their way to the Latvian national basketball team, while they helped Daumant Dreishkens to prepare for the fight for the title of Olympic champion in bobsleigh. The uniforms of the three long-time leaders of "Buku" - Raimonda Gabrān, Pavel Veselov and Artūrs Brūniņa - are immortalized on the ceiling of the famous "Blue Bird".

On July 30, 2022, in gratitude for the achievements of "Gulbenes Buku" and promoting the recognition of Gulbenes, as well as in honor of the team's 25th birthday, the environmental object "Buks", which is also the symbol of the team, was opened.

Author of the environmental object: Aivars Zelčs (SIA "Zetech").

The environmental object was built with funds donated by the municipality of Gulbene region, residents and supporters of "Buki".