Ioan Costin Georgescu (born 25 July 1988) is a Romanian basketball manager, the former Team Manager of CSO Voluntari.[1] He is the current Technical Director and responsible of youth department & international Academy program of Lucentum Alicante[2]

Ionuț Georgescu
Lucentum Alicante
PositionTehnical Director Lucentum Alicante
LeagueLEB Gold
Personal information
Born (1988-07-25) 25 July 1988 (age 36)
Ploiești, Prahova County, Romania
NationalityRomanian
Career highlights and awards
As executive

Georgescu began writing for a sport weekly at age 15, making him Romania's youngest sports journalist at the time.[3]

CSU Asesoft Ploiesti

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At the age of 17, he becomes a press officer for CSU Asesoft Ploiești, the powerhouse of Romanian basketball. From the bottom to the top, he advanced to be team manager, delegate for the European competitions, general manager, and, at the age of 21, executive president of the club. The youngest in the European basketball![4] He successfully developed many programs for the sports community, such as the Junior Academy Asesoft Ploiesti, Basketball in schools (Ploiesti won a few championships in a row in high school and gymnasium competitions, thanks to the student-athletes recruited by him and placed to study in "Caragiale" or "Mihai Viteazul" schools), the annual memorial for Toni Alexe - ex-captain of CSU Asesoft, who died in a car accident in 2005, before the team won the FIBA Europe Cup Men - and numerous fresh-marketing and PR events.

Besides his activity in the domestic competition, he was the only Romanian delegate designated to work with Euroleague Basketball, being responsible for the organization of 4 Eurocup campaigns, after his clubs won wild cards, coming from a country where basketball does not have professional status.[5]

At the age of 27, after an unbelievable season with Asesoft Ploiești (Supercup of Romania, champions 11 times in 12 years, TOP 32 in Eurocup and amazing wins against Hapoel Jerusalem, Banvit Bandirma, Valencia, Lietuvos Rytas, Krasny Oktyabr, or Nancy), he moved to Steaua CSM EximBank Bucharest after his home team went bankrupt because of several politic issues.[6]

Steaua CSM Eximbank

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He succeeded in obtaining a Eurocup wild card with his new club for the first time in Steaua history! Two great victories in the capital of the country brought joy for the amazing red and blue crowd: against the Turkish team Trabzonspor and the Adriatic League leader at that moment, Buducnost Podgorica. From that group were part also Aris Salonic, Unics Kazan and Banvit Bandirma.[7]

In the season 2015/2016, Steaua led the regular season and the Top 6 to finish only with the bronze medal, however the best result since 2011. Also, having a 1300 juniors program, the club took the crown for U16 and U18 categories. In the season 2016/2017, Steaua was the runner-up of the Regular Season, semifinalist of the Romanian Cup, and just 1/6 in the regular season of FIBA Europe Cup. Now, the team advanced in the Finals of the League after 21 years, but was blown out by U BT Cluj Napoca by 3-0, even the first two games in Cluj were decided in the last seconds. However, this silver medal meant a lot for the new Steaua project:[8]

Georgescu has brought to the team from Bucharest his innovative leadership style and his fresh perspective on marketing in sports. Programs as the Hall of Fame wall, Hall of Fame museum, Blog of the Legend, Steaua Fan Zone in the biggest mall in Romania, Reading Stands Tall (collecting books at each home game together with the fans and national celebrities to make donations at the end of the season for different institutions), Live your dream and play for Steaua! (a premiere in Europe - after a 5 months interactive contest a fan signed a one-day contract with the team and he played in the National League!), Q&A with the players or various kinds of contests for the fans involving all the sponsors and partners have made Steaua CSM EximBank the number one basketball program in marketing! Photos and videos can be found on the club social media channels (Facebook: baschetsteaua, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube Channels)[9]

BC CSU SIBIU

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Georgescu signed with BC CSU SIBIU in August 2018[10] The club finished on 1st position the Regular Season and the Top 6 in Liga Nationala[11] On 19 April, BC CSU Sibiu won the Romanian Cup, after a Final against CSM Oradea 88-78. This was the first Cup in the club's history and the first trophy for Sibiu after 20 years. In the same season, BC CSU Sibiu played the Finals of the Romanian National League, losing 1-3 against CSM Oradea, and qualifying to FIBA Europe Cup regular season. [12]

Scouter for Real Betis Baloncesto

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In April 2020, Georgescu reached a collaboration agreement with Real Betis Baloncesto, a club with more than 30 seasons of history in the Spanish top league.[13] According to the Club, the partnership is aiming for a multi-year project, placing Georgescu in the scouting role for the Eastern Europe area and, in particular, in Romania. Through this collaboration, the powerful Spanish club opens its doors to the young talented Romanian players, having them under the loop, while the best ones will get a chance to be a part of the Real Betis Youth Academy. Also, the parties have in plan to organise an annual basketball camp in Romania, under the strategy and methodology of Real Betis Baloncesto.[14]

CSO Voluntari

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In July 2020, Georgescu signed a two-year deal with CSO Voluntari, a very ambitious club with a 15 years existence and a basketball section founded back in 2011.[15] Georgescu took the responsibility to guide the senior team as its manager, taking the ”flagship” of the club for the first season ever that Voluntari will play in the full format of the National League.[16] On March 9, 2021, CSO Voluntari amazed Romanian Basketball by winning the Romanian Cup 2021! In the Final 8 that took place in Cluj-Napoca, CSO Voluntari defeated FC Argeș in quarterfinals (75-74), SCM Craiova in semifinals (81-80) and CSM Oradea in the Finals (72-65) [17] CSO Voluntari succeeded in defending the Romanian Cup in 2022. On its way to the trophy, Voluntari defeated the power-house U BT Cluj Napoca (81-80), in the semifinals, and the host of the Final 4, SCM U Craiova (89-75), in the final game! This success shall send CSO Voluntari to BCL qualifications for the season 2022-2023! At the end of the season 2023/2024, Ionut Georgescu announced that he is leaving CSO Voluntari to go abroad, after reaching the first European Cup finals in the history of the Club (European North Basketball League, losing the trophy game against Bakken Bears), and finishing the National League with the bronze medals.[18]

Lucentum Alicante

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In may 2024, Georgescu signed a three-year deal with Lucentum Alicante, a club with a 30-year history, currently playing in Leb Gold, the best second league in European basketball, with the goal of promoting to the ACB League in the near future. Beyond the support Ionuț will give to the first team and the management of the club, his role will focus on the development of the juvenile and youth sector, from the position of Tehnical Director and coordinator of the Lucentum Alicante Academy international project.


References

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  1. ^ (in Romanian)"Ionut Georgescu este noul manager al celor de la cso voluntari, Baschet.ro, 6 iulie 2020
  2. ^ (in Spanish)[https://fundacionlucentum.com/ionut-georgescu-nuevo-director-tecnico-de-la-base-del-lucentum-alicante/ "Ionut Georgescu, nuevo director técnico de la base del Lucentum Alicante, fundacionlucentum.com, 24 mai 2024
  3. ^ (in Romanian) "Ionuţ Georgescu se ocupă de imaginea celei mai bune echipe de baschet din ţară", Adevărul, 18 January 2010
  4. ^ (in Romanian)"Ionuţ Georgescu, fost corespondent Libertatea, a devenit preşedintele lui Asesoft Ploieşti", Libertatea, 12 November 2010
  5. ^ (in Romanian)"Ionut Georgescu, presedinte Asesoft Ploiesti: „Traim o mandrie ca am reusit sa ajungem dupa 10 ani in primavara unei cupe europene”", Sportfm, 22 December 2014
  6. ^ (in Romanian)"Ionuț Georgescu, noul manager al Stelei CSM EximBank București", TotalBaschet, 17 June 2015
  7. ^ (in Romanian)"Steaua CSM a primit wildcard-ul și va juca în Eurocup, a doua competiție după Euroligă", Libertatea, 29 June 2015
  8. ^ (in Romanian)"Steaua a terminat Liga Naţională de Baschet pe locul 3", SportExclusiv, 26 May 2016
  9. ^ (in Romanian)"Despre ”Patron la Steaua” 2016 și alte proiecte de marketing ale Stelei", 24secunde, 19 August 2016
  10. ^ (in Romanian)"Despre ”Transferul la SIbiu", Tribuna, 6 August 2018
  11. ^ (in Romanian)"Despre ”Primul loc la final de sezon regulat", Turnul Sfatului, 7 August 2019
  12. ^ (in Romanian)"Despre ”Cup Winners", Eurobasket.com, 19 August 2019
  13. ^ (in Romanian)"Despre ”Scouter Betis", Baschet.ro, 2 April 2020
  14. ^ (in Spanish)"Sobre”Acuerdo de colaboración para la organización del I Campus Internacional en Rumanía", Real Betis Balompie, 2 August 2020
  15. ^ (in Romanian)"Despre ”Ionut Georgescu Voluntari", Unitedhoops.ro, 6 July 2020
  16. ^ (in Romanian)"Despre”Ionut Georgescu este noul manager al celor de la CSO Voluntari", Baschet.ro, 6 July 2020
  17. ^ (in Romanian)"Despre”Voluntariul câștigă primul trofeu din istorie", GSP.ro, 10 March 2021
  18. ^ (in Romanian)"Despre”CSO Voluntari păstrează Cupa României la baschet masculin, după ce a învins în finală SCMU Craiova, chiar în Bănie", prosport.ro, 17 February 2022
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