Limoges Cercle Saint-Pierre, commonly referred to as Limoges CSP or CSP, is a professional basketball club based in the city of Limoges, France. The club competes in the highest tier, the LNB Élite, and has won the French championship 11 times, as well as the EuroLeague once, in 1993.
History The club was founded in 1929, but its peak was during the 1980s and 1990s, when they became the first French club to win a major European-wide title in a team sport, by winning the FIBA European League (EuroLeague) in 1993.
In the 1999–2000 season, Limoges won its 9th top-tier level French League title, but it was relegated to the French second division LNB Pro B, after winning it, because of financial problems. The club didn't get back to its old state for a long time, as it spent the next 3 years in the Pro A, but was relegated again in 2004 after finishing dead last. Starting with the 2004–05 season, Limoges played in the NM1, the French third division, due to continued financial problems. It took the club six seasons to eventually return to the Pro A.
In the 2013–14 season, Limoges returned to its old glory, as the team captured its 10th French League national championship, by beating Strasbourg IG 0–3 in the French League Finals. Alex Acker was named Finals MVP.
The club thus qualified for the 2014–15 EuroLeague by winning the French League championship, which would be their first appearance in the top European-wide league in 17 seasons. In the EuroLeague, Limoges lost 8 out of 10 games, managing to win against UNICS and Cedevita, before being relegated to the European-wide second tier level EuroCup. In the EuroCup Round of 32, Limoges was eliminated, after finishing 3rd in Group J. In the French Pro A, Limoges once again had a successful season. In the regular season, Limoges finished in 3rd place behind JSF Nanterre and Strasbourg IG, but in the French League playoffs, they made up for that. In the French League Finals, Limoges beat Strasbourg 1–3, to win back-to-back French League titles. Ousmane Camara was named Finals MVP. Under pressure from local authorities and after considering various options, Céline Forte finally agreed to the sale of the club on june 9. Following its takeover by Lionel Peluhet, the CSP was ultimately accepted into the BetClic Elite for the 2024-2025 season. On january 13, 2025 the day after a loss to Le Portel (77-98), head coach Jean-Marc Dupraz was suspended and replaced by his assistant Mikko Larkas. In april 2026, following a string of losses (10 out of the last 13 games), Dario Gjergja was suspended and replaced on an interim basis by Arnaud Tessier
Arena
Limoges plays its home games at the Palais des Sports de Beaublanc, which has a seating capacity of 6,500 people. The Palais des sports was inaugurated on november 28, 1981, in the presence of Minister Charles Hernu and the senator-mayor of Limoges Louis Longequeue, CSP hosts ASVEL Basket for the occasion although the first match had already taken place on october 14, 1981. The project for a Palais des sports first emerged in 1955: at the initiative of Albert Chaminade (1912-2009), a proposal was put forward to roof over the 4,000-seat Beaublanc basketball court a facility that had been abandoned since the early 1960s.
The city of Limoges, through its mayor, Emile-Roger Lombertie has initiated the transformation of the Beaublanc site; the project includes the construction of two annex halls for the Beaublanc sports hall. The provisional schedule targets the completion of these two annex halls by mid-2027, followed by the restructuring of the sports hall itself (2027-2029).
Roster
Retired numbers Limoges CSP retired numbersNo.PlayerPositionTenureDate Retired 4 Frédéric Forte PG 1988–1989, 1991–1997 2020 7 Richard Dacoury SG/SF 1978–1996 2010 8 Ed Murphy SG/SF 1981–1985 2016
Current roster
Honours
Domestic competitions French League Winners (11): 1982–83, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1999–00, 2013–14, 2014–15 Runners-up (4): 1986–87, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1997–98 French Cup Winners (1): 1999–00 Runners-up (2): 2010–11, 2011–12 Leaders Cup Winners (2): 1988, 1990 Runners-up (2): 1991, 1992 French Super Cup Winners (1): 2012 Federation Cup (defunct) Winners (3): 1981–82, 1982–83, 1984–85 League Cup (defunct) Winners (2): 1993–94, 1994–95 French League Pro B Winners (2): 2000–01, 2011–12
European competitions EuroLeague Winners (1): 1992–93 3rd place (1): 1989–90 4th place (1): 1994–95 Final Four (3): 1990, 1993, 1995 FIBA Saporta Cup (defunct) Winners (1): 1987–88 FIBA Korać Cup (defunct) Winners (3): 1981–82, 1982–83, 1999–00 Runners-up (1): 1986–87 European Basketball Club Super Cup (semi-official, defunct) Runners-up (1): 1985
Worldwide competitions McDonald's Championship 3rd place (1): 1991 4th place (1): 1993
Other competitions FIBA International Christmas Tournament (defunct) 4th place (1): 1990 Tournoi de Beaublanc Winners (1): 2014 Tournoi de Bourge Winners (1): 2014 Tarere, France Invitational Game Winners (1): 2015 St. Chamond & St. Étienne, France Invitational Game Winners (1): 2015
Individual club awards Small Triple Crown Winners (3): 1982–83, 1987–88, 1999–00
Successive shirts
Supporters and rivalries The club has a large fan-base, with a dedicated ultras group called Ultras Green.
Their biggest rival is another legendary French club Pau-Orthez, and they have been trading blows with one another for national supremacy on the hardwood, both figuratively and literally, since the early 1980s. In the 22 seasons between 1983 and 2004, the two clubs combined for 18 French League championships, and multiple games between the two teams resulted in fights among the players, including one that ended in a brawl between Élan supporters and Limoges players, at the old Orthez venue, La Moutète.
Season by season Season by season results of the club in national league, national cup and European-wide competitions. SeasonTierLeagueFrench CupLeaders CupEuropean competitions1997–98 1 Pro A 2nd 1 Euroleague 1998–99 1 Pro A 7th 2 Saporta Cup 1999–00 1 Pro A 1stChampion 3 Korać Cup C2000–01 2 Pro B 1st 2001–02 1 Pro A 11th 2002–03 1 Pro A 14th 2003–04 1 Pro A 18th 2004–05 3 NM 1 3rd 2005–06 3 NM 1 2nd Round of 32 2006–07 2 Pro B 7th Round of 32 2007–08 2 Pro B 5th Round of 32 2008–09 2 Pro B 3rd Quarterfinalist 2009–10 2 Pro B 2nd Semifinalist2010–11 1 Pro A 16thRunner-up 2011–12 2 Pro B 1stRunner-up2012–13 1 Pro A 13th Quarterfinalist2013–14 1 Pro A 1st Round of 32 Quarterfinalist2014–15 1 Pro A 1st Semifinalist Quarterfinalist 1 Euroleague 2015–16 1Pro A 10thQuarterfinalist 1 Euroleague 2 Eurocup 2016–17 1 Pro A 10th Round of 16 2017–18 1 Pro A 4th Round of 64 Quarterfinalist 2 EuroCup 2018–19 1 Pro A 7th Round of 16 Semifinalist 2 EuroCup 2019–20 1 Pro A — — 2 EuroCup 2020–21 1 Pro A 9th Semifinalist — Champions League 2021–22 1 Pro A 5th Round of 16 —2022–23 1 Pro A 15th Round of 16 Quarterfinals Champions League 2023–24 1 Pro A 13th Round of 32 2024–25 1 Pro A 14th Round of 64
International record Season Achievement Notes EuroLeague 1983–84 Semi-final group stage 6th place in a group with FC Barcelona, Banco di Roma Virtus, Jollycolombani Cantù, Bosna and Maccabi Tel Aviv 1985–86 Semi-final group stage 6th place in a group with Cibona, Žalgiris, Simac Milano, Real Madrid and Maccabi Tel Aviv 1988–89 Quarter-finals 5th place in a group with Maccabi Tel Aviv, FC Barcelona, Jugoplastika, Aris, Scavolini Pesaro, CSKA Moscow and Nashua EBBC 1989–90 Final Four 3rd place in Zaragoza, lost to Jugoplastika 83–101 in the semi-final, defeated Aris 103–91 in the 3rd place game 1990–91 Quarter-finals 8th place in a group with FC Barcelona, Pop 84, Scavolini Pesaro, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Aris, Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Kingston Kings 1992–93 Champions defeated Real Madrid Teka 62–52 in the semi-final, defeated Benetton Treviso 59–55 in the final of the Final Four in Athens 1993–94 Quarter-finals eliminated 2–1 by Panathinaikos, 75–68 (W) in Limoges, 48–59 (L) and 73–87 (L) in Athens 1994–95 Final Four 4th place in Zaragoza, lost to Real Madrid Teka 49–62 in the semi-final, lost to Panathinaikos 77–91 in the 3rd place game FIBA Saporta Cup 1987–88 Champions defeated Ram Joventut 96–89 in the final of European Cup Winners' Cup in Grenoble 1991–92 Quarter-finals 3rd place in a group with PAOK, Glaxo Verona, Sunair Oostende, Maccabi Rishon LeZion and Alba Berlin 1995–96 Quarter-finals 3rd place in a group with Taugrés, Žalgiris, Partizan, Bnei Herzliya and Sunair Oostende FIBA Korać Cup 1981–82 Champions defeated Šibenka, 90–84 in the final of Korać Cup in Padua 1982–83 Champions defeated Šibenka, 94–86 in the final of Korać Cup in West Berlin 1986–87 Final lost to FC Barcelona, 86–106 (L) in Barcelona and 86–97 (L) in Limoges 1999–00 Champions defeated Unicaja, 80–58 (W) in Limoges and 51–60 (L) in Málaga in the double finals of Korać Cup McDonald's Championship 1991 3rd 3rd place in Paris, lost to Los Angeles Lakers 101–132 in the semi-final, defeated Slobodna Dalmacija 105–91 in the 3rd place game 1993 4th 4th place in Munich, lost to Buckler Beer Bologna 85–101 in the semi-final, lost to Real Madrid Teka 119–123 in the 3rd place game
In European and worldwide competitions
The road to the European Cup victories
1981–82 FIBA Korać Cup Round Team Home Away 1st round T71 Dudelange108–5692–832nd round Aris106–7777–88Top 16 Spartak Leningrad76–69106–89 Cotonificio101–9089–93 Carrera Venezia105–10184–107Semi-finals Zadar99–7884–92Final Šibenka90–84
1982–83 FIBA Korać Cup Round Team Home Away 2nd roundBye as title holderTop 16 Crvena zvezda80–7883–93 Nová huť Ostrava90–8289–76 Banco di Roma87–8074–73Semi-finals Dynamo Moscow92–7986–93Final Šibenka94–86
1987–88 FIBA European Cup Winners' Cup Round Team Home Away 2nd round UU108–104123–94Quarter-finals Polycell Kingston122–109108–106 Bayer 04 Leverkusen93–86111–92 IMT114–103102–93Semi-finals Scavolini Pesaro102–8691–93Final Ram Joventut96–89
1992–93 FIBA European League Round Team Home Away 2nd round Guildford Kings71–5772–72Top 16 PartizanBye PAOK60–5857–67 Knorr Bologna63–7667–70 Marbella Joventut65–7378–62 Cibona83–5262–58 Scavolini Pesaro61–4776–61 Maccabi Tel Aviv75–6369–70Quarter-finals Olympiacos59–5367–7060–58Semi-final Real Madrid Teka62–52Final Benetton Treviso59–55
1999–00 FIBA Korać Cup Round Team Home Away 1st roundBye2nd round Ovarense Aerosoles93–8480–66 Telindus Racing Antwerpen81–7556–59 Jabones Pardo Fuenlabrada90–7773–63Top 32 UNICS93–6986–64Top 16 CSKA Kyiv86–73100–71Quarter-finals Türk Telekom71–5767–75Semi-finals Casademont Girona69–5777–77Finals Unicaja80–5851–60
Notable players
Gregor Beugnot Jim Bilba Yann Bonato Nobel Boungou Colo Axel Bouteille Ousmane Camara Richard Dacoury Yakhouba Diawara Sekou Doumbouya Stéphane Dumas Vasco Evtimov Apollo Faye Mickaël Gelabale Joseph Gomis William Howard Damien Inglis Mouhammadou Jaiteh Adrien Moerman Jacques Monclar Hugues Occansey Stéphane Ostrowski Johan Petro Jonathan Rousselle Thierry Rupert Jean-Michel Sénégal Steed Tchicamboud Ali Traoré Georges Vestris Frédéric Weis Léo Westermann Edin Bavčić Zack Wright João Paulo Batista Bruno Caboclo Dwight Hardy John Amaechi Spencer Dunkley Ville Kaunisto Taurean Green Yassin Idbihi Heiko Schaffartzik Angelos Tsamis Jermaine Bucknor Pape-Philippe Amagou Fréjus Zerbo Samardo Samuels Siim-Sander Vene Bo McCalebb J. R. Reynolds Mathieu Wojciechowski Klemen Prepelič Jure Zdovc Radoslav Rančík Mileta Lisica Dragan Lukovski Branko Milisavljević Óscar Yebra Eugene Jeter Jerome Randle Alex Acker Tommy Adams Cedrick Banks Travarus Bennett Steffon Bradford Kevin Braswell Michael Brooks Anthony Brown Marcus Brown Don Collins Brian Conklin Randy Culpepper Ramel Curry Will Daniels Leon Douglas Grant Gondrezick R.T. Guinn Kenny Hayes Dru Joyce