Two basketball clubs from the city of Elche, Illicitano Basketball Club and Elche Basket Club, decided to join forces and unite. The aim was to boost basketball growth and create a triple-action club that blends sport, innovation and financial viability. This new approach makes the sport accessible to everyone, regardless of age, level, or origin, so more people can play and enjoy basketball.
Ilicitano Basketball Club was founded in 1979 and currently has 250 players. Elche Basket Club, established in 2010, counts 300 members across its various categories, including both men and women. With the union forming what will be known as CBI Elche, the clubs expect both quantitative growth and qualitative improvement, aspiring to become a reference entity at the city, provincial and national levels.
The new sporting asset for Elche is envisioned as the first triple-effect club in Spain, backed by a Technological Innovation Center. This combination will position Elche with a competitive and comparable project on a European scale, combining sport with innovation and drawing on the support of business and financial communities to ensure self-sufficiency and long-term sustainability unlike some peers.
The reference team is set to compete in the EBA League, the fourth tier of Spanish basketball, alongside possibilities to rise toward higher levels such as the ACB and LE B Gold and Silver in the future. Ilicitano Basketball Club secured its place in the EBA last weekend after defeating Aldaia in the Play-out, a result that strengthens the foundation for the new project.
Ismael Garlito, sporting director of the new CBI Elche, states: “The plan is to establish a professional dynamic for this project, with the first workouts beginning early in the morning, aiming for steady athletic growth in the EBA category and a clear path for advancement.”
Moreover, across other age groups and divisions, the club intends to provide top environments for player development. As teams rise, they will be integrated into the club and nurtured daily, while clubs competing in the higher categories of the Valencian Community will be supported to grow and improve. The sporting director emphasizes that a robust development pipeline will be created to help players progress through the ranks and reach the upper echelons of competition.
Ismael Garlito makes the club’s mission plain: grows in sport and sustains financially, ensuring that no resident of Elche or nearby towns is left out of basketball due to skill level or social circumstances. The plan includes multiple squads across different levels, all of which will be integral parts of the larger club, with a culture of inclusion, opportunity and progression for every athlete who wants to push their boundaries.