Ufuk Sarica
Encyclopedia
Ufuk Sarıca is a Turkish
former national basketball
player and now the head coach at Turkish club Efes Pilsen.
Sarıca could play either at Shooting Guard
or Small forward positions during his playing career.
in 1996, beating Italian
side Olimpia Milano
at the two-legged final. While with Efes Pilsen he reached the European Cup final as well as playing in the Euroleague
Quarter-finals 4 times (3 of these quarterfinals were consecutive between 1997 and 1999). He was part of the strong Efes roster along with Hidayet Türkoğlu
, Ömer Onan
, and Hüseyin Beşok
. He quit the team in the summer of 1999 after important members of the legendary Efes Team of 1996, Tamer Oyguç
, Murat Evliyaoğlu
, and Volkan Aydın, were let go from the club.
He joined Ülkerspor
where he won the Turkish League title during the 2000-2001 season. As Harun Erdenay
became more influential in the forward position his playing time was limited and as such he moved to Israel
i side Bnei Herzliya. This was followed by a short spell at Montepaschi Siena.
After Siena, Sarica returned to Turkey and played at Pınar Karşıyaka
, Darüşşafaka
, and Beşiktaş Cola Turka
, each for a single season, after which he retired.
at Beşiktaş. When Didin left the club in March 2007, Sarıca was appointed as caretaker manager until the end of the season. Then he worked with Ergin Ataman
as assistant coach at Beşiktaş again where they reached the TBL
play-off semi-finals in the 2007/08
season. Ataman quit Beşiktaş and joined Efes Pilsen at the end of the season and Sarıca joined Efes as the assistant coach of Ataman once again. He became head coach on an interim basis during the 2010-11 season and was handed the role as permanent head coach in June 2011.
Ülkerspor
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
former national basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player and now the head coach at Turkish club Efes Pilsen.
Sarıca could play either at Shooting Guard
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
or Small forward positions during his playing career.
Playing career
Sarıca began his career at the age of 16 at Efes Pilsen's Youth Team, and played for Efes for 16 consecutive seasons. During his time at Efes, he won the Korać CupKorac Cup
The Korać Cup was an annual basketball club competition held by FIBA between the 1971-72 and 2001-02 seasons. It was the third-tier level club competition in European basketball, after the European Champions' Cup and the Cup Winners' Cup...
in 1996, beating Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
side Olimpia Milano
Olimpia Milano
Olimpia Milano is a Lega Basket Italian professional basketball team, based in Milan, Italy, founded in 1936 by Milan businessman Adolfo Bogoncelli. Its colors are red and white, and the team is sometimes referred as "Scarpette Rosse" because team officials imported from the United States red...
at the two-legged final. While with Efes Pilsen he reached the European Cup final as well as playing in the Euroleague
Euroleague
Euroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
Quarter-finals 4 times (3 of these quarterfinals were consecutive between 1997 and 1999). He was part of the strong Efes roster along with Hidayet Türkoğlu
Hidayet Türkoglu
Hidayet "Hedo" Türkoğlu is a Turkish professional basketball player in the NBA currently playing for the Orlando Magic. He plays the small forward position, although he has played four positions in his career...
, Ömer Onan
Ömer Onan
Ömer Onan is a professional basketball player of Fenerbahçe Ülker. The shooting guard is 1.94 m tall and 95 kg in weight and wears number 7 for Fenerbahçe Ülker....
, and Hüseyin Beşok
Hüseyin Besok
Hüseyin Beşok is a Turkish professional basketball player of Bosniak ancestry. He is currently playing for Hacettepe Üniversitesi, in the Turkish Basketball League...
. He quit the team in the summer of 1999 after important members of the legendary Efes Team of 1996, Tamer Oyguç
Tamer Oyguç
Tamer Oyguç is a former Turkish professional basketball player. He finished his Army Duty in Ankara as a player of Karagücü National Team. He has 2nd division winner at this team. He spent most of his career with Efes Pilsen. The former center is 2.10 m tall and wore the number 13 jersey for all...
, Murat Evliyaoğlu
Murat Evliyaoglu
Murat Evliyaoğlu is a former professional basketball player from Turkey. He played as guard position and helped lot of times to Turkey national basketball team.The former guard is 1.94 m.-Career:* 1992-94 Kolej Ankara...
, and Volkan Aydın, were let go from the club.
He joined Ülkerspor
Ülkerspor
-History:Ülkerspor had been founded in 1975 but its basketball department was created in 1993 by buying a Turkish League spot from Nasaşspor. It won Turkish League titles in 1995, 1998, 2001 and 2006 with greats including Harun Erdenay, İbrahim Kutluay, Michael Anderson, Orhun Ene, Kevin Rankin and...
where he won the Turkish League title during the 2000-2001 season. As Harun Erdenay
Harun Erdenay
Harun Erdenay is a Turkish former professional basketball player from Turkey. He is currently the team manager of the Turkish national basketball team. He was famous for his spectacular 3 point shooting. He was a member the Turkish national team as a player.The small forward is 1.98 m and...
became more influential in the forward position his playing time was limited and as such he moved to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i side Bnei Herzliya. This was followed by a short spell at Montepaschi Siena.
After Siena, Sarica returned to Turkey and played at Pınar Karşıyaka
Pinar Karsiyaka
Pınar Karşıyaka is a professional basketball team based in the city of İzmir in Turkey. It is a section of the Karşıyaka SK. The team was sponsored by Pınar since 1998. It is the product of Yasar Holding's Food and Beverage Group....
, Darüşşafaka
Darüssafaka S.K.
Darüşşafaka Cooper Tires, is a professional basketball club based in İstanbul, Turkey that plays in the Turkish Basketball League since 1992-93 season. Their home arena is the Ayhan Sahenk Sport Hall, sometimes called Ayhan Şahenk Arena. The club is sponsored by Çelik Motor a subsidiary of Turkish...
, and Beşiktaş Cola Turka
Besiktas Cola Turka
Beşiktaş Milangaz is a professional basketball team of Beşiktaş J.K., which is a sports club from İstanbul, Turkey. Their home arena is the Sinan Erdem Dome with a capacity of 16,000 seats...
, each for a single season, after which he retired.
Manegarial career
Sarıca began his post-retirement career as the assistant of Murat DidinMurat Didin
Kamil Murat Didin is a Turkish former basketball player and currently coach. He manages German side Opel Skyliners.-Coaching career:...
at Beşiktaş. When Didin left the club in March 2007, Sarıca was appointed as caretaker manager until the end of the season. Then he worked with Ergin Ataman
Ergin Ataman
Halil Ergin Ataman is a Turkish basketball coach. During his playing career which he had begun in 1978, he played at Eczacıbaşı and Yeşilyurt basketball teams....
as assistant coach at Beşiktaş again where they reached the TBL
Turkish Basketball League
The Turkish Basketball League is the top men’s professional basketball league in Turkey, which is also called Turkish Premier Basketball League . There is also a Turkish Second Basketball League consisting of 2 divisions .-History:The first basketball game played in Turkey was at the Robert...
play-off semi-finals in the 2007/08
Turkish Basketball League 2007-2008
The 2007-08 Turkish Basketball League is the 42nd edition of the top-flight professional basketball league in Turkey. Beşiktaş Cola Turka finished first in the regular season and Fenerbahçe Ülker won the playoffs.-Regular season standings:...
season. Ataman quit Beşiktaş and joined Efes Pilsen at the end of the season and Sarıca joined Efes as the assistant coach of Ataman once again. He became head coach on an interim basis during the 2010-11 season and was handed the role as permanent head coach in June 2011.
Club
Efes Pilsen-
- Korać CupKorac CupThe Korać Cup was an annual basketball club competition held by FIBA between the 1971-72 and 2001-02 seasons. It was the third-tier level club competition in European basketball, after the European Champions' Cup and the Cup Winners' Cup...
: 1 (1995–96) - Turkish Basketball LeagueTurkish Basketball LeagueThe Turkish Basketball League is the top men’s professional basketball league in Turkey, which is also called Turkish Premier Basketball League . There is also a Turkish Second Basketball League consisting of 2 divisions .-History:The first basketball game played in Turkey was at the Robert...
: 4 (1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1996–97)
- Korać Cup
Ülkerspor
Ülkerspor
-History:Ülkerspor had been founded in 1975 but its basketball department was created in 1993 by buying a Turkish League spot from Nasaşspor. It won Turkish League titles in 1995, 1998, 2001 and 2006 with greats including Harun Erdenay, İbrahim Kutluay, Michael Anderson, Orhun Ene, Kevin Rankin and...
-
- Turkish Basketball LeagueTurkish Basketball LeagueThe Turkish Basketball League is the top men’s professional basketball league in Turkey, which is also called Turkish Premier Basketball League . There is also a Turkish Second Basketball League consisting of 2 divisions .-History:The first basketball game played in Turkey was at the Robert...
: 1 (2000–01)
- Turkish Basketball League