Krassimira Banova

Krassimira Banova
Personal information
Born	5 October 1960 (age 64); Dimitrovgrad, Bulgaria
Listed height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Career information
Playing career	1978–1997
Position	Center
Number	15
Career history
1978–1990	Levski Sofia
1990–1991	BAC Mirande
1991–1995	Tarbes Gespe Bigorre
1995–1997	Kremikovtzi Basketball Club
Representing Bulgaria
EuroBasket Women
Ronchetti Cup
EuroLeague Women

Krassimira Banova (Bulgarian: Красимира Николова Банова; born 5 October 1960) is a former Bulgarian female basketball player. After her playing career she started working as coach. She currently serves as a referee for the Bulgarian Basketball Federation. Banova is part of most successful generation Bulgarian players in the 100 years history of this sport in the country. Her daughter Jaklin Zlatanova is also a basketball player. Krassimira Banova was born in 1960 in Dimitrovgrad, Bulgaria located in the Thrace region, close to the provincial capital, Haskovo where she spent most of her childhood. Her family moved to the capital Sofia, where she started practicing different sports. For some years she was training athletics, but eventually, in 1978, Banova found herself on the basketball court. She started with the basketball relatively late: at the age of 16 but was able to catch up quickly.

Club career

Women Basketball XXVI European Champions Cup 1984

Banova, holding European Champions Cup in 1984

In 1984 BC Levski Sofia faced the Zulu Vicenza at the final of the Women European Champions Cup. According to most of the specialists back then, the Italian team was an absolute favorite, led by players like Beverly Smith, Catarina Polini, and Wanda Sandon.^[1]

National team career

Krassimira Banova played for the Bulgarian national team for nearly a decade(1980-1990). She made her debut in 1980 during the Eurobasket Women. Banova participated in four Eurobasket Women tournament, two World Championships, and one Olympic Qualification.

Eurobasket Women 1983

The XIX European Basketball Championship for women took place in 1983 in Hungary. Between the 11th and 18 September, 12 European teams competed for the title. The games were played in three cities: Miskolc, Zalaegerszeg, and Budapest.

Bulgaria competed in group B, with Czechoslovakia, Soviet Union, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and Yugoslavia. Banova played six games in total, ending up with an average of 9 points per game, and 75% of free throws made. In the match against Sweden, she finished with a record of 32 points. The Bulgarian team finished second in its group, stepping back only to the favorite for the title - Soviet Union.

On the semi-finals, Bulgaria won against Yugoslavia and qualified for the final against the Soviet Union. In the end, the Soviet Union finished first in the tournament, and Bulgaria grabs the silver medal. The bronze was for Hungary.

European Championship for Women 1983^[2]
Match	M/A	%	PF	Pts
Bulgaria - Czechoslovakia	2/2	100	0	2
Bulgaria - Solviet Union	4/5	80	3	16
Bulgaria - Germany	1/1	100	0	3
Bulgaria - Italy	0/0	0	0	0
Bulgaria - Sweden	4/5	80	0	32
Bulgaria - Yugoslavia	1/3	33.3	0	1
Bulgaria - Solviet Union	0/0	0	1	0

World Olympic Qualification Tournament for Women 1984

The World Qualification Tournament for the 1984 Olympic Games was scheduled for May 1984 in Cuba. 19 teams competed for the place on the final, which opens the door for the games in Los Angeles. Bulgarian team was in group B, along with China, Japan, Czechoslovakia, and Zair.

The Bulgarian squad played 4 games: won against Zair and Japan and lost against China and Czechoslovakia. Krassimira Banova took part in 3 games, finishing the tournament with an average of 9 points and 75% of free throws.

World Olympic Qualification Tournament for Women 1984^[3]
Match	M/A	%	PF	Pts
Bulgaria - Japan	2/3	66.7	4	4
Bulgaria - China	0/0	0	0	0
Bulgaria - Czechoslovakia	0/0	0	0	4
Bulgaria - Zair	4/5	80	1	14

EuroBasket Women 1985

The XX Eurobasket for women was held from 8 to 15 Sep. 1985, in Italy. A total number of 12 teams participated in the tournament. The draw put Bulgaria in a group with Netherlands, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, France, Romania, and Hungary.

Krassimira Banova played in 7 games and finished the tournament as a team leader with an average of 17,4 points per game and 74,1% free throws. In the final match against the Soviet Union, she scored 27 points, but it wasn't enough for the title.

European Championship for Women 1985^[4]
Match	M/A	%	PF	Pts
Bulgaria - Netherlands	7/10	70	2	17
Bulgaria - Yugoslavia	9/10	90	4	21
Bulgaria - Czechoslovakia	7/8	87.5	4	17
Bulgaria - France	5/9	55.6	2	15
Bulgaria - Romania	3/6	50	1	9
Bulgaria - Hungary	2/2	100	5	16
Bulgaria - Solviet Union	7/9	77.8	1	27

World Championship for Women 1986

The 1986 World Championship for Women took place between the 8th and 17 August in the Soviet Union. Twelve teams divided into two groups participated in the tournament. Bulgaria was in group A with Soviet Union, Canada, Cuba, Korea, and Brasil. After 3 losses and two wins, the Bulgarian team finished in 7th place. Krassimira Banova played in 7 games and achieved, on average, 12,9Pts and 82,9% FT.

1986 World Championship for Women^[5]
Match	M/A	%	PF	Pts
Bulgaria - Canada	8/10	80	5	14
Bulgaria - Brasil	4/4	100	1	14
Bulgaria - Soviet Union	3/4	75	4	3
Bulgaria - Korea	6/8	75	0	20
Bulgaria - Cuba	5/5	100	2	9
Bulgaria - China	7/7	100	3	17
Bulgaria - Hungary	1/3	33.8	1	13

EuroBasket Women 1987

The Eurobasket Women 1987 (4 - 11 September, Spain) opposed the continent's 12 best teams. The draw put Bulgaria in a group with Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Italy, Spain, Finland, Romania, and Poland.

Banova couldn't help her team much. Bulgaria recorded three losses and two wins and ranked in 6th place. She participated in all games and finished the tournament with, on average, 15,7pts and 86,5%FT.

1987 European Championship for Women^[6]
Match	M/A	%	PF	Pts
Bulgaria - Czechoslovakia	4/4	100	2	10
Bulgaria - Yugoslavia	4/4	100	3	14
Bulgaria - Italy	2/4	50	4	16
Bulgaria - Spain	7/9	77.8	1	23
Bulgaria - Finland	2/3	66.7	2	6
Bulgaria - Romania	6/6	100	1	16
Bulgaria - Poland	7/7	100	2	25

1990 World Championship for Women

The Eurobasket Women 1987 (4 - 11 September, Spain) opposed the continent's 12 best teams. The draw put Bulgaria in a group with Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Italy, Spain, Finland, Romania, and Poland.

Banova couldn't help her team much. Bulgaria recorded three losses and two wins and ranked in 6th place. She participated in all games and finished the tournament with, on average, 15,7pts and 86,5%FT.

World Championship for Women 1990^[7]
Match	M/A	%	PF	Pts
Bulgaria - Italy	3/4	75	0	5
Bulgaria - Malaysia	5/6	83.3	3	17
Bulgaria - Australia	4/4	100	4	16
Bulgaria - Canada	2/4	50	2	8
Bulgaria - Cuba	0/0	0	0	0
Bulgaria - USA	6/7	85.7	2	10
Bulgaria - Australia	3/3	100	1	9
Bulgaria - Canada	0/0	0	0	0