The Vestri men's basketball team, commonly known as Vestri, is a basketball team based in Ísafjörður, Iceland. The club was founded in 1965 as Körfuknattleiksfélag Ísafjarðar and held that name until it merged with newly founded Íþróttafélagið Vestri multi-sport club in 2016 and became its basketball department.
History The club was founded in 1965 as Körfuknattleiksfélag Ísafjarðar (KFÍ). In 1967 it reached the final of the Icelandic Cup where it lost to KR.
In March 1983, KFÍ finished first in its group in 2. deild karla and played Laugdælir, Breiðablik and Íþróttafélag Menntaskólans á Egilsstöðum (ÍME) in they playoffs for the 2. deild championship and promotion to 1. deild karla. According to the rules at the time, each team would play the other three once and the team with the best win–loss record would be crowned champions. KFÍ lost its first game to Breiðablik, 79–76, despite 29 points from Guðjón Már Þorsteinsson and 21 points from Jón Oddsson. In the second game, against Laugdælir, KFÍ scored the last 4 points of the game, winning 79–76, with Kristinn Kristjánsson scoring 23 points, Jón Oddsson 17 points and Guðjón Már Þorsteinsson 16 points. In the final game, KFÍ defeated ÍME 91–70. Both Breiðablik and Laugdælir also won two out of three games, tied with KFÍ. As the rules did not count for any tie-breakers, the three teams were slated to meet again to decide the winner. During the second try, KFÍ lost to Breiðablik in the first game, 78–77, but won Laugdælir in the second game 79–76. Laugdælir however won Breiðablik leaving the teams again tied, thus meaning that a third playoff would be held to decide the winner. During the third playoff, KFÍ won Breiðablik but lost to Laugdælir. As Breiðablik won Laugdælir the teams were once again tied. Prior to the fourth playoffs, the Icelandic Basketball Federation decided that if the teams would once again finish tied, the team with the best scoring record would finish first. The fourth playoff was held from 30 April to 2 May and there Laugdælir won both KFÍ and Breiðablik convincingly and were crowned 2. deild karla champions.
In 1994, the team won the 2. deild karla playoffs, which was held jointly in Ísafjörður and Bolungarvík, after defeating Þór Þorlákshöfn 75–48, and was promoted to 1. deild karla. In 1996, it gained promotion to the top-tier Úrvalsdeild karla for the first time.
On 17 October 1999, KFÍ won Skallagrímur, 129–132, in a game that went into four overtimes. It was the longest Úrvalsdeild karla game ever played in Iceland. Clifton Bush set a then record by playing 59 minutes in the game. It has since been broken by Hörður Axel Vilhjálmsson.Mörg met féllu í DHL höllinni
In 2016, KFÍ merged into Íþróttafélagið Vestri and became its basketball sub-division.Íþróttafélagið Vestri
On 16 December 2018, while playing in the second-tier 1. deild karla, it knocked out top-tier Haukar in the Final 16 of the Icelandic Cup. It was the only team outside the top-tier Úrvalsdeild to appear in the Final 8 of the cup.
In June 2021, Vestri defeated Hamar in the 1. deild promotion finals and achieved promotion to the Úrvalsdeild.
Head coaches Men's head coaches:Men's coaches
Ingvar Sigurbjörnsson 1982–1983 Geir Þorsteinsson 1993–1995 Guðjón Már Þorsteinsson 1995–1996 Guðni Ólafur Guðnason 1996–1998 Tony Garbelotto 1998–2000 Karl Jónsson 2000–2001 Hrafn Kristjánsson 2001–2004 Baldur Ingi Jónasson 2001–2002, 2004–2006 Borce Ilievski 2006–2010 B.J. Aldridge 2010 Neil Shiran Þórisson 2010–2011 Pétur Már Sigurðsson 2011–2013 Birgir Örn Birgisson 2013–2016 Neil Shiran Þórisson and Guðni Ólafur Guðnason 2016 Yngvi Gunnlaugsson 2016–2019 Pétur Már Sigurðsson 2019–2024 Birgir Örn Birgisson 2024–2026 Fernando Bethencourt Muñoz 2026–present
Season by season Season Division Regular season Playoff Results Head coachWLPCT 1979–19802. deild V 1st 2 0 1.000 Won Semifinals (Höttur, 1–0) Won Finals (Haukar, 1–0)Lost Promotion final (Skallagrímur, 0–2) 1980–19812. deild V 1st 2 0 1.000 Won Semifinals (Tindastóll, 1–0) Lost Finals (Haukar, 0–1) 1981–19822. deild NV 3rd 1 3 .250 Did not qualify 1982–19832. deild C 1st Ingvar Sigurbjörnsson ... 1992–19932. deild V 2nd 3 3 .500 Did not qualify Auðunn Einarsson 1993–19942. deild V 1st – – – Won Finals (Þór Þorlákshöfn, 1–0) Promoted do Division I Geir Þorsteinsson 1994–19951. deild 3rd (Group 1) 15 5 .750 Did not qualify Geir Þorsteinsson 1995–19961. deild 2nd 12 4 .750 Won Semifinals (ÍS, 2–0) Won Finals (Þór Þorlákshöfn, 2–1)Promoted to Úrvalsdeild Guðjón Þorsteinsson 1996–1997Úrvalsdeild 9th 9 13 .409 Did not qualify Guðni Guðnason 1997–1998Úrvalsdeild 5th 13 9 .591 Lost Quarterfinals (Njarðvík, 1–2) Guðni Guðnason 1998–1999Úrvalsdeild 3rd 15 7 .682 Won Quarterfinals (Tindastóll, 2–0) Lost Semifinals (Njarðvík, 1–3) Tony Garbelotto 1999–2000Úrvalsdeild 10th 7 15 .318 Did not qualify Tony Garbelotto 2000–2001Úrvalsdeild 12th 4 18 .182 Did not qualifyRelegated to 1. deild Karl Jónsson 2001–20021. deild 3rd 12 6 .667 Lost Semifinals (Snæfell, 0–2) Hrafn Kristjánsson andBaldur Jónasson 2002–20031. deild 1st 14 2 .875 Won Semifinals (Ármann/Þróttur, 2–1) Won Finals (Þór Þorlákshöfn, 1–0)Promoted to Úrvalsdeild karla Hrafn Kristjánsson 2003–2004Úrvalsdeild 10th 6 16 .273 Did not qualify Hrafn Kristjánsson 2004–2005Úrvalsdeild 12th 2 20 .091 Did not qualifyRelegated to 1. deild Baldur Jónasson 2005–20061. deild 7th 6 12 .333 Did not qualify Baldur Jónasson 2006–20071. deild 6th 5 9 .357 Did not qualify Baldur Jónasson (0–3)Borce Ilievski (5–6) 2007–20081. deild 6th 8 10 .444 Did not qualify Borce Ilievski 2008–20091. deild 5th 11 7 .611 Lost Semifinals (Valur, 1–2) Borce Ilievski 2009–20101. deild 1st 16 2 .889 Promoted to Úrvalsdeild Borce Ilievski 2010–2011Úrvalsdeild 12th 5 17 .227 Did not qualifyRelegated to 1. deild B.J. Aldridge (2–6)Neil Shiran Þórisson (3–11) 2011–20121. deild 1st 17 1 .944 Promoted to Úrvalsdeild Pétur Már Sigurðsson 2012–2013Úrvalsdeild 10th 6 16 .273 Did not qualify Pétur Már Sigurðsson 2013–2014Úrvalsdeild 11th 4 18 .182 Did not qualifyRelegated to 1. deild Birgir Örn Birgisson 2014–20151. deild 7th 5 16 .238 Did not qualify Birgir Örn Birgisson 2015–20161. deild 8th 4 14 .222 Did not qualify Birgir Örn Birgisson (3–10)Neil Shiran Þórisson andGuðni Guðnason (1–4) 2016–20171. deild 6th 8 16 .333 Did not qualify Yngvi Gunnlaugsson 2017–20181. deild 4th 16 8 .667 Lost Semifinals (Breiðablik, 0–3) Yngvi Gunnlaugsson 2018–20191. deild 5th 12 9 .571 Lost Semifinals (Fjölnir, 0–3) Yngvi Gunnlaugsson 2019–20201. deild 4th 14 8 .636 Playoffs canceled due to COVID-19 outbreak.1 Pétur Már Sigurðsson 2020–20211. deild 4th 9 7 .563 Won Quarterfinals (Fjölnir, 2–0) Won Semifinals (Skallagrímur, 3–0) Won Finals (Hamar, 3–1) Promoted to Úrvalsdeild Pétur Már Sigurðsson 2021–2022Úrvalsdeild 11th 4 18 .182 Did not qualifyRelegated to 1. deild Pétur Már Sigurðsson 2022–20232. deild 2nd 16 4 .800 Lost Semifinals (Snæfell, 0–1) Pétur Már Sigurðsson 2023–20242. deild 1st 16 2 .889 Won Semifinals (Aþena/Leiknir, 1–0)Lost Finals (KV, 0–2) Pétur Már Sigurðsson 2024–20252. deild 5th 10 8 .556 Lost Semifinals (Fylkir, 0–1) Birgir Örn Birgisson 2025–20262. deild Group A 2nd 10 4 .714 Lost Semifinals (Laugdælir, 0–1) Birgir Örn Birgisson Notes 1With two games left, the team had already secured the 3rd seed in the promotion playoffs when the rest of the season and playoffs was canceled.
Trophies and awards
Trophies 1. deild karla: Winners (4): 1996, 2003, 2010, 2012 1. deild karla 2. deild karla: Winners (3): 1975, 1980, 1994 2. deild karla Icelandic Men's Basketball Cup: Runners-up (1): 1998
Awards Úrvalsdeild Men's Domestic All-First Team Friðrik Erlendur Stefánsson – 1998 Úrvalsdeild Men's Young Player of the Year Friðrik Erlendur Stefánsson – 1997 Úrvalsdeild Men's Foreign Player of the Year David Bevis – 1998 Joshua Helm – 2005
Notable players
Records (Úrvalsdeild karla only)
Points Career: Baldur Ingi Jónasson, 1.459 Career average: Joshua Helm, 37.2 3 pointers Career: Baldur Ingi Jónasson, 361 Rebounds Career: Friðrik Erlendur Stefánsson, 505 Career average: Joshua Helm, 14.0 Assists Career: Baldur Ingi Jónasson, 277 Career average: Bethuel Fletcher, 7.7 Steals Career: Baldur Ingi Jónasson, 188 Career average: Clifton Bush, 2.8 Blocks Career: Friðrik Erlendur Stefánsson, 51 Career average: Troy Wiley, 4.4 Games Career: Baldur Ingi Jónasson, 151 Single season records Points: Joshua Helm, 819 Points per game: Joshua Helm, 37.2 3 pointers: Baldur Ingi Jónasson, 63 Rebounds: Joshua Helm, 309 Rebounds per game: Joshua Helm, 14.0 Assists: Tom Hull, 118 Assists per game: Bethuel Fletcher, 7.7 Steals: Ólafur Jón Ormsson, 66 Steals per game: Ólafur Jón Ormsson, 3.5 Blocks: Troy Wiley, 44 Blocks per game: Troy Wiley, 4.4 Single game records Points: Clifton Bush, 55 3 pointers: Adam Spanich, 9 Rebounds: Friðrik Erlendur Stefánsson, James Cason, 24 Assists: Marcos Salas, Bethuel Fletcher, 12 Steals: Craig Schoen, 9 Blocks: Sigurður Gunnar Þorsteinsson, 8
Reserve team Vestri has a men's reserve team that plays in the amateur level Icelandic 4th-tier 3. deild karla, called Vestri-b and nicknamed Flaggskipið (English: The Flagship). In 2018 it was the runner-up to the 3. deild championship.
Season by season SeasonTierLeagueIcelandic Cup2015–164 3. deild karla 2nd 10–3 Semi-finals DNP2017–184 3. deild karla 2nd 8–4Runner-up 1st Round2018–194 3. deild karla 4th 7–7 DNQ 1st Round2019–204 3. deild karla 9th 3–7 N/A DNP2020–214 3. deild karla 1st 3–0 N/A DNP
References