CLUJ-NAPOCA (Romania) - U-BT Cluj-Napoca, a team from a picturesque Romanian city in the heart of the historical province of Transylvania, have long established themselves as one of the trend-setters in Romanian basketball, but are now on a mission to be more recognizable across the continent.

Since the decline of the traditional powerhouses from the capital Bucharest, Steaua and Dinamo, the balance of power has shifted elsewhere with the emergence of Ploiesti, Oradea and, of course, Cluj-Napoca.

That being said, U-BT Cluj-Napoca are still searching for success on the European stage, with their Quarter-Final run in the FIBA EuroCup Challenge back in 2007 still headlining their list of international accomplishments.

"IT'S A VERY SERIOUS AND AMBITIOUS CLUB, AND THE CITY IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THAT I HAVE EVER LIVED IN."- Darko Planinic

But the Romanians are heading into the new FIBA Europe Cup campaign with much bigger ambitions, having assembled an impressive roster packed with Romanian national team players, three Americans and reinforcements from Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania and Serbia.  

The acquisition of Croatian national team center Darko Planinic, a big man who represented his country at the last Olympic Games in Rio 2016, may be the biggest proof that something special is going on in Transylvania. 

After spells in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Israel, Croatia, Montenegro, Spain, Italy and Poland , Romania is country number eight in the journeyman career of Planinic, who David Blatt brought along to Maccabi Tel Aviv as a big-time prospect from Siroki in 2012.

While U-BT Cluj-Napoca may not quite be at the level of Maccabi, Cibona or Baskonia, some of the teams Planinic played for, but the 29-year-old is ready to take the upcoming Romanian challenge head on.

"It's very serious and ambitious club, and the city is one of the most beautiful that I have ever lived in. The season is only beginning but I'm sure we'll play major role in every competition we're in," says Planinic.

"WE KNOW THAT THERE WILL BE A CRAZY ATMOSPHERE IN KOSOVO. WE WILL HAVE FOUR OR FIVE THOUSAND VOCAL FANS AGAINST US."- Planinic

"We have pretty solid team, and games during preparation period showed that. We lost to Fenerbahce by one point, we won one of the recent tournaments and definitely we're one of the biggest favorites to win it all in Romania. As for the European competition, we're going to go one step at a time and we will see what's next."

U-BT Cluj Napoca start their European journey this week with a matchup with Kosovar club KB Rahoveci in the FIBA Europe Cup Qualifiers. While the Romanian side may be the favorites to advance, Planinic is very cautions.

"You never know, especially in the knockout round. We know that there will be a crazy atmosphere in Kosovo. We will have four or five thousand vocal fans against us. I know their coach Neven Plantak; I know they have five players from abroad and some good local talent and it will be a tough matchup," he said.

One of the key additions for U-BT Cluj-Napoca this summer came in the signature of European coaching great Dusko Vujosevic, who joined the team in the capacity of a sports director. One of the most successful basketball coaches on the continent, Vujosevic will provide invaluable input to returning head coach Mihai Silvasan.

Vujosevic and Silvasan will prepare the team for a crucial first leg in a home-and-away game up against a similarly ambitious club from Kosovo.

"Every game is crucial, every game is story for itself. I'm aware that point differentials is very important in this kind of games and that we will have an opportunity to correct any possible mistakes from first game, but we will try to win in both games. Reaching the group phase in FIBA Europe Cup is our goal and we'll try to accomplish that".  

FIBA