Oviedo Club Baloncesto, also known as Alimerka Oviedo Baloncesto for sponsorship reasons, is a professional basketball team based in Oviedo, Asturias, that plays in the Spanish Primera FEB.
Contents
History
First years
Oviedo CB was founded in 2004 in place of the old CB Vetusta—today dissolved. In their first season, 2004–05, the club started at Liga EBA but was relegated to Primera División after winning only six games out of 30. The club returned to the Liga EBA next season after achieving a 27–0 record.
In the 2006–07 season, Ovideo was champion of Group A of the Liga EBA but was eliminated by Ciudad Torrealta Molina in round 16 of the LEB Plata promotion playoffs. In the next season, Oviedo finished again as champion of Group A and was promoted to the newly created LEB Bronce league.
In its first season in a professional league (2008–09), Oviedo finished in 14th position and avoided relegation to the Liga EBA. However, after the elimination of the LEB Bronce, the club board decided not to advance to the LEB Plata due to insufficient funds—instead opting to continue playing in the EBA.
During its 2009–10 season at Liga EBA, Oviedo CB clinched the third title of Group A. After beating Atarfe, CB Vic and Real Canoe NC in the promotion playoffs, it advanced to the LEB Plata. Following this season, the club was considered the best one of the Liga EBA, with only two defeats in the regular season and a 3–3 balance in the playoffs.
Playing in LEB Plata
After promoting, the club needed to find funding to play the 2010–2011 LEB Plata season, ultimately doing so. FEVE Oviedo qualified for the promotion playoffs after finishing in the eight position of the regular season. Promobys Tíjola defeated Oviedo in the quarterfinals by 3–1.
On 1 February 2013, the team played in the Copa LEB Plata but was defeated 71–78 by CEBA Guadalajara. After this loss, the team was promoted to LEB Oro after becoming champion of the 2012–13 LEB Plata with a win at Gran Canaria B by 59–89 on 9 March 2013.
2013–present: growing in LEB Oro
After its promotion to LEB Oro, Oviedo CB started playing in the second division of Spanish basketball. The team's performance was a surprise, and it was one of the top teams in the league thanks to a strong performance at Pumarín, where it remained unbeaten for 15 months until Ford Burgos won at Pumarín by 17 points.
In its first season in LEB Oro, Unión Financiera Oviedo Baloncesto (its sponsorship naming) qualified for the promotion playoffs to Liga ACB and defeated Leyma Natura Básquet Coruña in the quarterfinals by 2–0. It was ultimately eliminated by Quesos Cerrato Palencia by 1–3 in the semifinals.
On 20 December 2016, Oviedo CB led the LEB Oro league table for the first time in its history after beating away Araberri by 86–75. Ten days later, the club qualified for the Copa Princesa de Asturias for the first time, finishing at the top of the table after the first half of the 2016–17 league. Oviedo conquered the Cup on 27 January 2017, after beating San Pablo Inmobiliaria Burgos by 80–77 in the final.
Sponsorship naming
Oviedo CB has received diverse sponsorship names along the years:
Domo Residencial Oviedo: 2004–2005, 2006–2008
Basemat OCB: 2005–2006
FEVE Oviedo Baloncesto: 2008–2011
Unión Financiera Asturiana Oviedo Baloncesto: 2012–2013
Unión Financiera Baloncesto Oviedo: 2013–2018
Liberbank Oviedo Baloncesto: 2018–2022
Alimerka Oviedo Baloncesto: 2022–present
Players
Head coaches
Miguel Moreno 2004
Emilio García 2004–2005
Iván Martín 2005–2008
Mariano Arasa 2008–2009
Alfredo Riera 2009–2012
Guillermo Arenas 2012–2015, 2023
Carles Marco 2015–2018
Javi Rodríguez 2018–2020, 2023–present
Natxo Lezkano 2020–2022
Trifón Poch 2022–2023
Trophies and awards
Trophies
Copa Princesa de Asturias: (1)
2017
LEB Plata: (1)
2013
Liga EBA: (1)
2010
Individual awards
All LEB Oro Team
Fran Cárdenas – 2014
Copa Princesa de Asturias MVP
Miquel Salvó – 2017
LEB Plata MVP
Ian O'Leary – 2011
Will Hanley – 2013
Individual records
Top performers of Oviedo CB, as of the end of the 2018–19 season. Not including games of the 2005–06 season, when Oviedo CB played in Primera División.