Espoon Honka
Finnish basketball club dissolved in 2011.
Espoon Honka, also known as the Honka Playboys or Playhonka, was a professional basketball team from Espoo, Finland. The club competed in the Korisliiga, the country's highest basketball league, before shutting down in 2011 because of financial trouble.
The club began in 1971 as the Honka Playboys. In 1976, it was renamed Playhonka and became the senior men's team of Tapiolan Honka, which then served as its feeder club and managed the youth programs. Over 16 seasons in the Korisliiga, Espoon Honka won eight league championships and six Finnish Cup titles. The team did not play the 2011–12 season due to its financial problems, and it was dissolved later that year. After that, Tapiolan Honka once again organized the senior men's team.
Quick Facts
- Founded
- 1971
- Dissolved
- 2011
- History
- Honka Playboys / (1971–1975) / Playhonka / (1976–1983) / Playhonka Scotch Team / (1983–1985) / Espoon Honka / (1985–2011) / Tapiolan Honka / (2011–present)
- Arena
- Tapiolan Urheiluhalli
- Capacity
- 1,570
- Location
- Espoo, Finland
- Championships
- 8 Finnish Leagues / 6 Finnish Cups
- H Body
- 004225
- H Pattern B
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- H Shorts
- ffffff
- A Pattern B
- _thinwhitesides
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Espoon Honka was originally founded in 1971 as Honka Playboys. In 1976, it became known as Playhonka, the senior men's basketball section of the Finnish club Tapiolan Honka, which from then on worked as a feeder team for Espoon Honka and also took responsibility for organizing the club's youth teams and other activities. The club played a total of 16 seasons in the top-tier Korisliiga and won eight league championship titles, as well as six Finnish Cup titles. Espoon Honka did not play in the 2011–12 season of the Korisliiga due to financial problems, and the whole team was dissolved later that year. The senior men's team was then once again organized by Tapiolan Honka.
Reader's Guide
Espoon Honka was a significant force in Finnish basketball, winning eight Korisliiga championships and six Finnish Cup titles over its history. The club's success was concentrated in two eras: the 1970s, when it won titles in 1974, 1976, and 1979, and the 2000s, when it dominated with championships in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2007, and 2008. Its Finnish Cup victories spanned 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 2001, and 2009. Despite this success, financial difficulties led to the club's dissolution in 2011, after which the senior men's team was reorganized under Tapiolan Honka. The club's legacy includes notable head coaches such as Gordon Herbert and Mihailo Pavićević, and it remains a notable example of a top-tier Finnish basketball club that could not sustain itself financially.
Did You Know?
- Espoon Honka did not play in the 2011–12 season due to financial problems and was dissolved later that year.
- After dissolution, the senior men's team was once again organized by Tapiolan Honka.
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