Álftanes men's basketball

Álftanes
LeaguesÚrvalsdeild karla
Founded2007
ArenaForsetahöllin
Head coachKjartan Atli Kjartansson
Assistant(s)Helgi Jónas Guðfinnsson
Affiliation(s)Stjarnan
Websitewww.umfa.is

The Álftanes men's basketball team, commonly known as Álftanes, is the men's basketball department of Ungmennafélag Álftaness. It was founded in 2007.

Recent history

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2017–2018

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On April 8, 2018, Álftanes star player, Kjartan Atli Kjartansson, hit a go-ahead three-pointer in the waning seconds of its game against Stál-úlfur in the 3. deild karla semi-finals, helping them to victory and promotion to 2. deild karla.[1] In the finals, Álftanes beat Vestri-b for the 3. deild championship.[2][3]

2018–2019

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On July 20, 2018, the club hired Hrafn Kristjánsson, who guided KR to the national championship in 2011, as its head coach.[4] On 17 September 2018, it was reported that former 1. deild karla scoring champion and two-time Icelandic Cup winner, Marvin Valdimarsson, had signed with the team.[5] They started the 2. deild season with a bang, thrashing former 1. deild karla club Körfuknattleiksfélag ÍA with 64 points, 136–72.[6] On 16 April 2019, Álftanes defeated ÍA in the 2. deild karla finals, 123–100, and achieved promotion to the 1. deild karla.[7][8]

2019–2020

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On 12 June 2019, Álftanes signed Úrvalsdeild karla all-time leader in assists, Justin Shouse.[9][10] On 22 July 2019, the team signed former 1. deild karla scoring champion Samuel Prescott Jr.[11] On 16 August 2019, the team signed former Úrvalsdeild players Birgir Björn Pétursson and Þorsteinn Finnbogason.[12] Two days later, the team signed 6-time national champion Vilhjálmur Kári Jensson from KR.[13]

2020–2021

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On 2 October 2021, forward Þorsteinn Finnbogason scored 10 three pointers for Álftanes in a victory against Vestri. The team finished fifth in the league with a 9–7 record and bowed out in the first round of the promotion playoffs against Skallagrímur.

2021–2022

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On 4 January 2022, the team signed Sinisa Bilic who had started the season with Breiðablik and played in the Úrvalsdeild since 2019.[14] Following Álftanes' loss against Höttur in the 1. deild promotion playoffs in April 2022, head coach Hrafn Kristjánsson announced his retirement from coaching.[15]

2022–2023

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In May 2022, Kjartan Atli Kjartansson was hired as the head coach of the men's team.[16] On 13 March 2023, Álftanes secured victory in the 1. deild karla and achieved promotion to the top-tier Úrvalsdeild karla for the first time in its history.[17] After the season, Dúi Þór Jónsson was named the 1. deild karla Domestic Player of the Year while he and Eysteinn Bjarni Ævarsson where named to the Domestic All-First team and Kjartan Atli was named as the Coach of the Year.[18]

2023–2024

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On 17 May 2023, Álftanes signed Icelandic national team member Hörður Axel Vilhjálmsson.[19] On 23 May, it was confirmed that Kjartan Atli would continue to coach the team during its first season in the Úrvalsdeild.[20] The following day, Álftanes signed Icelandic national team player Haukur Helgi Pálsson who had spent the previous two seasons with Njarðvík.[21] In August the team hired Helgi Jónas Guðfinnsson, who in 2012 guided Grindavík to the national championship, as an assistant coach.[22]

Trophies and achievements

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Awards

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Coaches

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Notable players

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Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

Criteria

To appear in this section a player must have either:

  • Set a club record or won an individual award while at the club
  • Played at least one official international match for their national team at any time
  • Played at least one official NBA match at any time.

Recent seasons

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Season Tier League Pos. W–L Playoffs Icelandic Cup
2009–10 3 2. deild karla Group B 1st 13–2 3rd place 1st Round
2010–11 3 2. deild karla Group B 6th 6–10 DNQ 1st Round
2011–12 3 2. deild karla Group B 6th 7–9 DNQ 2nd Round
2012–13 Did not participate
2013–14 3 2. deild karla Group A 4th 6–6 Runner-up 1st Round
2014–15 3 2. deild karla Group A 6th 5–9 DNQ 1st Round
2015–16 Did not participate
2016–17 4 3. deild karla 4th 6–8 DNQ 1st Round
2017–18 4 3. deild karla 4th 8–4 Champions 1st Round
2018–19 3 2. deild karla 1st 16–2 Champions 1st Round
2019–20 2 1. deild karla 5th 12–11 N/A1 2nd Round
2020–21 2 1. deild karla 5th 9–7 1st Round 2nd Round
2021–22 2 1. deild karla 4th 16–11 3rd place 1st Round
2022–23 2 1. deild karla 1st 22–5 N/A2 1st Round

Notes
1 The team had secured a spot in the playoffs when the season was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic in Iceland.

2 Promoted to Úrvalsdeild karla.
Source

References

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  1. ^ Óskar Ófeigur Jónsson (9 April 2018). "Sjáðu stjórnanda Körfuboltakvölds skjóta Álftanesi upp um deild". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  2. ^ "Álftanes Íslandsmeistarar". karfan.is (in Icelandic). 14 April 2018. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  3. ^ "Vestri-B tryggði sér silfrið í 3. deild". Bæjarins Besta (in Icelandic). 16 April 2018. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  4. ^ Tómas Þór Þórðarson (20 July 2018). "Íslandsmeistaraþjálfari í 2. deildina". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 20 July 2018.
  5. ^ Anton Ingi Leifsson (17 September 2018). "Marvin hættur úrvalsdeildarbolta". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  6. ^ "Góðæri og hrun á Skipaskaga". Karfan.is (in Icelandic). 1 October 2018. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  7. ^ "Hrafn fór með Álftanes upp um deild". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 17 April 2019. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  8. ^ Benedikt Bóas Hinriksson (6 June 2019). "Vilja fá meiri pening frá Garðabæ fyrir góðan árangur". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 6 June 2019.
  9. ^ Davíð Eldur (12 June 2019). "Justin Shouse dregur fram skóna á nýjan leik". Karfan.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  10. ^ Ingvi Þór Sæmundsson (12 June 2019). "Shouse tekur skóna af hillunni og spilar með Álftanesi í vetur". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  11. ^ "Álftanes semur við fyrrum stigakóng 1. deildarinnar". Karfan.is (in Icelandic). 22 July 2019. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  12. ^ "Birgir Björn og Þorsteinn Finnbogason semja við Álftanes". Karfan.is (in Icelandic). 16 August 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  13. ^ Arnar Geir Halldórsson (18 August 2019). "Álftnesingar safna stórskotaliði í körfuboltanum". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 20 August 2019.
  14. ^ Runólfur Trausti Þórhallsson (4 January 2022). "Bilic á að koma Álftanes upp í deild þeirra bestu". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  15. ^ Atli Arason (24 April 2022). "Hrafn Kristjánsson segir skilið við körfuboltann". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 24 April 2022.
  16. ^ Sindri Sverrisson (4 May 2022). "Veit vel að með því að ræða körfubolta í sjónvarpinu þá vill fólk sjá hvað maður sjálfur gerir". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  17. ^ "Álftanes tryggðu sér sæti í Subway deildinni – Deildarmeistarar fyrstu deildar 2023". Karfan.is (in Icelandic). 13 March 2023. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  18. ^ "Dúi Þór leikmaður ársins í fyrstu deild karla – Ísak Júlíus valinn besti ungi leikmaðurinn". Karfan.is (in Icelandic). 19 May 2023. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  19. ^ Sindri Sverrisson (17 May 2023). "Hörður Axel í Álftanes". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  20. ^ Ingvi Þór Sæmundsson (23 May 2023). "Kjartan Atli kveður Körfuboltakvöld". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  21. ^ Ingvi Þór Sæmundsson (24 May 2023). "Haukur Helgi til Álftaness". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  22. ^ Hjörtur Leó Guðjónsson (29 August 2023). "Álftnesingar sækja fyrrverandi landsliðsmann í þjálfarateymið". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 31 August 2023.
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