Science Fair Project Encyclopedia
Efes Pilsen SK
Efes Pilsen Spor Kulübü (English: Efes Pilsen Sport Club) is a Turkish basketball club based in İstanbul and sponsored by the Efes Beverage Group.
The club was founded in 1976 by a takeover of the second-division Kadıkoyspor club, which had failed due to financial problems. It won the 1978 second division championship undefeated, earning promotion to the Turkish first division, where it has played ever since. In its first top-flight season (1978-79), Efes won the league title, immediately establishing itself as one of the country's top clubs.
The club's main claim to fame was winning the Koraç Cup in 1996, marking the first-ever European title in a team sport by a Turkish club. More recently, it has become a fixture in the Euroleague, making the competition's Final Four in 2000 and narrowly missing the Final Four in 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005.
Two current NBA players, Hidayet Türkoğlu and Mehmet Okur, are products of Efes' youth program. A third former Efes player, Ibrahim Kutluay, briefly played in the NBA.
Honors
- Koraç Cup: 1996
- Turkish league: 1979, 1983, 1984, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
- Turkish Cup: 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002
External links
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