As one half of the twin towers in Basket City - otherwise known as Bologna, Italy - Fortitudo fuels one the great rivalries at the heart of European hoops. Fortitudo's basketball division, 70 years old last year, saw its teams play in the second division for 34 years before finally making it to the first division in 1966. The 1976-77 season provided the next milestone as Fortitudo reached the finals of the Korac Cup. After a series of highs and lows, the team returned to Italy's first division for good in 1992. A year later, Fortitudo's fortunes began to soar. It reached the first of three consecutive Italian League finals in 1996 only to fall short to Milan. Despite losing in two subsequent finals as well, Fortitudo finally had the chance to unlock its trophy case when it captured the 1998 Italian Cup. Fortitudo's success in international competition paralleled that in Italy as the club came within one step of the Euroleague Final Four in consecutive seasons. After three missed opportunities, Fortitudo finally added the elusive Italian League crown to its collection in 1999-2000. After losing that title to cross-town rival Virtus in 2001, Fortitudo was determined to regain control of the domestic league in 2001-2002. Fortitudo fought its way into first place at the end of the regular season but fell in the Italian League finals. In 2002-03 Fortitudo once again reached the finals despite not having home court advantage throughout the playoffs. The club comes off one of its most successful seasons ever despite the lack of trophies, as Fortitudo yet again made the Italian League finals - for an amazing eighth time in the past nine years -, as well as the Euroleague final game, which the team lost to Maccabi Tel Aviv after a fantastic Euroleague season which included road wins in Tel Aviv and Moscow. While their trips to the domestic finals haven't provided the results that the club would wish for, there is no denying the fighting character and high level that the club has played at over the past decade. The club is aiming as high as ever and, as its recent history proves, can never be counted out.
