Tallinna Kalev are a basketball team based in Tallinn, Estonia. The team was founded in 2002 as Pirita Palliklubi and played in the Korvpalli Meistriliiga (KML) from 2002 to 2024.
History The team was founded in 2002 as Pirita Palliklubi (Pirita Ball Club), the same year they joined the Korvpalli Meistriliiga (KML), the top tier of Estonian basketball. In their first season, they reached the Estonian Cup final, but lost 76–92 to TÜ/Rock.
Prior to the 2008–09 season, BC Pirita joined the Tallinn Sports Association Kalev and changed their name to Tallinna Kalev. In July 2010, Tallinna Kalev merged operations with TTÜ Korvpalliklubi. They played as TTÜ/Kalev and TTÜ/Kalev II through the 2010–11 season. However, the partnership ended after just one season, and Tallinna Kalev continued independently.
In 2014, the team became affiliated with Tallinn University (TLÜ). They made their debut in a European competition by competing in the 2016–17 season of the FIBA Europe Cup, but failed to advance past the group stage. Coached by former NBA player Martin Müürsepp, Tallinna Kalev/TLÜ made the KML Finals for the first time in team history in 2019. However, they were swept in three games by defending champion BC Kalev/Cramo.
For the 2022–23 season, Tallinna Kalev merged operations with Audentes Sports Club. The team withdrew from the top-tier competitions following the 2023–24 season.
Sponsorship naming Tallinn Kalev/SNABB: 2023–2024
Home arenas Pirita TOP Sports Center (2002–2004) Pirita Business School Sports Hall (2004–2009) TTÜ Sports Hall (2010–2011) Kalev Sports Hall (2009–2010, 2011–2016, 2017–2018) Sõle Sports Center (2018–2022) Audentes Sports Center (2016–2017, 2022–2023) Nord Cramo Sports Hall (2021–2022, 2023–2024)
Players
Current roster
Depth chart
Coaches
Kalle Klandorf 2002–2010, 2012–2017, 2017–2018, 2023–2024 Üllar Kerde 2010–2011 Indrek Reinbok 2011–2012 Raido Roos 2017 Gert Kullamäe 2018–2019 Martin Müürsepp 2019–2021 Valdo Lips 2021 Brett Nõmm 2021–2022 Rauno Pehka 2022–2023
Season by season SeasonTierDivisionEstonian CupBaltic competitionsEuropean competitions2002–03 1 KML 5thRunner-up2003–04 1 KML4thQuarterfinalist2004–05 1 KML 4thSemifinalistBBL Division 22005–06 1 KML 4thThird placeBaltic Basketball League 17th2006–07 1 KML5thQuarterfinalist2007–08 1 KML4thThird place2008–09 1 KML 5thThird placeBBL Challenge Cup 12th2009–10 1 KML 6thQuarterfinalistBBL Challenge Cup 2010–11 1 KML 7thQuarterfinalist2011–12 1 KML 6thQuarterfinalist2012–13 1 KML 8thFourth placeBaltic Basketball League 2013–14 1 KML 4thQuarterfinalistBaltic Basketball League 2014–15 1 KML 8thQuarterfinalistBaltic Basketball League 2015–16 1 KML4thThird placeBaltic Basketball League2016–17 1 KML7thFirst roundBaltic Basketball League4 FIBA Europe Cup2017–181KML6thBaltic Basketball League2018–19 1 KML2ndEstonian-Latvian Basketball League10th2019–20 1 KML6th Estonian-Latvian Basketball League–2020–21 1 KML7thFourth placeEstonian-Latvian Basketball League2021–22 1 KML7thQuarterfinalistEstonian-Latvian Basketball League14th2022–23 1 KML8thQuarterfinalistEstonian-Latvian Basketball League14th2023–24 1 KML8thEstonian-Latvian Basketball League16th
Trophies and awards Trophies Estonian League Runners-up (1): 2018–19
Estonian Cup Runners-up (1): 2002
Individual awards
Newcomer of the Year Martin Müürsepp – 2019
KML All-Star Five Erki Kivinukk – 2004 Damarcus Harrison – 2019
Notes
References
External links