Luca Banchi
Banchi in 2013
Virtus Bologna
PositionHead coach
LeagueLBA
EuroLeague
Personal information
Born (1965-08-01) August 1, 1965 (age 58)
Grosseto, Italy
NationalityItalian
Coaching career1985–present
Career history
As coach:
1985–1986F. A. Vigna di Valle (assistant)
1986–1987Affirco Firenze (assistant)
1987–1997Livorno (youth teams)
1997–1999Livorno
1999–2001Trieste
2001–2004Livorno
2004–2005Trapani
2005–2006Aurora Basket Jesi
2006–2012Montepaschi Siena (assistant)
2012–2013Montepaschi Siena
2013–2015Emporio Armani Milano
2017–2018Auxulium Torino
2018Brose Bamberg
2018–2019AEK Athens
2019Lokomotiv Kuban
2020–2021Long Island Nets (assistant)
2021–presentLatvia
2021–2022Pesaro
2022–2023SIG Strasbourg
2023–presentVirtus Bologna
Career highlights and awards
As head coach:
Medals
Men's Basketball
Representing  Italy
Mediterranean Games
Bronze medal – third place 2001 Pescara Event

Luca Banchi (born August 1, 1965) is an Italian professional basketball coach. He is currently the head coach of the Latvia men's national basketball team and the Italian club Virtus Bologna, competing in the Lega Basket Serie A (LBA) and the EuroLeague. He was awarded as the best coach of FIBA World Cup 2023.

Club coaching career

Italy

Banchi began working as a basketball coach in the youth teams of Basketball Grosseto, after which he was an assistant coach for the Armed Forces Vigna di Valle, and Affrico Firenze. Between 1987 and 1999, he coached the junior teams of Livorno, winning three consecutive youth national titles in the period, from 1995 to 1997.

He was then promoted to head coach of Basket Livorno, in the Italian second-tier level Serie A2. In 1999, he made his debut on the bench of Pall Trieste, where he coached for two years, before returning to Livorno, that had meanwhile been promoted to the Italian top-tier level LBA. He followed that up with two stops in the Italian 2nd Division, in Trapani and Aurora Basket Jesi.

In 2006, he became the assistant coach of Montepaschi Siena, under head coach Simone Pianigiani. As an assistant with Montepaschi, he won six 6 Italian League championships in a row (2007–2012), five Italian Super Cups (2007–2011), and four Italian Cups (2009–2012). In June 2012, he took over the role of head coach of Montepaschi Siena, following the departure of Simone Pianigiani to Fenerbahçe. On February 10, 2013, he won the Italian Cup, after defeating Pallacanestro Varese, by a score of 77–74 in the final game.[1] On June 19, 2013, he also won his first Italian League championship, as a head coach.[2]

On July 1, 2013, he signed a two-year deal to become the head coach of the Italian European-wide top-tier level EuroLeague club, Emporio Armani Milano.[3] In his first season with the team, he won the Italian League championship, repeating the previous success of Carlo Recalcati, as the only head coaches who won consecutive Italian League titles, with different teams.[4]

In the 2017–18 season, he was the head coach of the European-wide second-tier level EuroCup team, Auxulium Torino.[5]

In October 20, 2021 Banchi signed with Victoria Libertas Pesaro to replace Aco Petrović.[6] After a slow start Pesaro few winning runs during the season and qualified for the playoffs.

Virtus Bologna (2023–present)

In September 15, 2023, after Scariolo was fired following controversial statements regarding the new roster and the upcoming season, he became new head coach of Virtus Bologna, and signed a two-year contract.[7] Returning to the Euroleague, after a 5-year break. About a week later, the team won the first title under the new coach, winning the Italian Supercup.[8] On 24 September 2023, after having ousted Olimpia Milano in the semifinals, Virtus won its fourth Supercup, and the third in a row, defeating 97–60 Germani Brescia.[9]

Germany

In 2018, Banchi became the head coach of the German club Brose Bamberg, of the German top-tier level Basketball Bundesliga (BBL), and the EuroLeague.[10]

Greece

On 1 July 2018, Banchi was appointed as the head coach of AEK Athens of the Greek Basket League (GBL) and FIBA Champions League (BCL).[11] On June 17, 2019 his contracted at AEK Athens was terminated.[12]

Russia

On July 5, 2019, he has signed with Lokomotiv Kuban of the VTB United League.[13] On November 15, 2019, his contract with Kuban has been terminated.[14]

France

On November 16, 2022 Banchi signed with SIG Strasbourg and helped the team to raise from the last place to playoffs in French ProA, as well as a playoff spot in Basketball Champions League[15]

National teams

On March 25, 2021, Luca Banchi was announced as the next head coach of the Latvia men's national basketball team.[16] Latvia became one of the two European teams to qualify for the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup after starting their journey at the World Cup Pre-Qualifiers.

In the country's World Cup debut in 2023, Banchi led the team to a 5th place finish[17] and received the award for the Best Coach of the tournament. Starting with the Pre-Qualifiers, Latvia had won 21 out of 24 games under coach Banchi.[18]

Coaching record

Legend
G Games coached W Games won L Games lost W–L % Win-loss %

Note: The EuroLeague is not the only competition in which the team played during the season. He also coached in domestic competition, and regional competition if applicable.

EuroLeague

Team Year G W L W–L% Result
Montepaschi 2012–13 24 12 12 .500 Eliminated in Top 16 stage
Milano 2013–14 28 16 12 .571 Eliminated in quarterfinals
Milano 2014–15 24 9 15 .375 Eliminated in Top 16 stage
Bamberg 2017–18 6 2 4 .333 Eliminated in regular season
Virtus Bologna 2023–24 4 3 1 .750
Career 86 42 44 .488

References

  1. ^ "Coppa Italia final, February 10, 2013". euroleague.net. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
  2. ^ "Italian League finals, Game 5: June 19, 2013". euroleague.net. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
  3. ^ D'Avanzo, Antonio. "Basket, Serie A; Luca Banchi nuovo allenatore dell'Olimpia Milano". outdoorblog.it. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
  4. ^ "Italian League, Finals Playoffs, Game 7: June 27, 2014". euroleague.net. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
  5. ^ "Luca Banchi and Fiat Torino officially part ways". sportando.com. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  6. ^ LUCA BANCHI È IL NUOVO COACH DELLA CARPEGNA PROSCIUTTO BASKET PESARO
  7. ^ Luca Banchi nuovo Head Coach di Virtus Segafredo Bologna. Virtus Bologna
  8. ^ LBA, Finale Supercoppa | Le parole di coach Luca Banchi dopo la vittoria della Supercoppa. Virtus Bologna
  9. ^ Una Virtus esagerata stravince la Supercoppa. la Repubblica
  10. ^ Brose Bamberg names Banchi new head coach.
  11. ^ "AEK Athens ink coach Luca Banchi". eurobasket.com. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
  12. ^ "Arrivederci amico". AEK B.C. Archived from the original on 17 June 2019. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  13. ^ "Luca Banchi is Lokomotiv Kuban new head coach". Sportando. July 5, 2019. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  14. ^ "Lokomotiv Kuban, Luca Banchi part ways". Sportando. November 15, 2019. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  15. ^ Luca Banchi nouvel entraîneur
  16. ^ "Itāļu speciālistu Banki apstiprina Latvijas vīriešu basketbola izlases galvenā trenera amatā" [Italian specialist Banki is confirmed as the head coach of the Latvian men's basketball team]. Public Broadcasting of Latvia (in Latvian).
  17. ^ "Latvia cruise to win over Lithuania in battle for fifth - World Cup 2023". FIBA.basketball. Manila (Philippines). 9 September 2023.
  18. ^ "World Cup 2023 All-Second Team, Best Coach and Best Defensive Player Awards revealed". FIBA.basketball.

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