The Álftanes men's basketball team, commonly known as Álftanes, is the men's basketball department of Ungmennafélag Álftaness. It was founded in 2007.
Recent history
2017–2018
On April 8, 2018, Álftanes star player, Kjartan Atli Kjartansson, hit a go-ahead three-pointer in the waning seconds of its game against Stál-úlfur in the 3. deild karla semi-finals, helping them to victory and promotion to 2. deild karla.[1] In the finals, Álftanes beat Vestri-b for the 3. deild championship.[2][3]
2018–2019
On July 20, 2018, the club hired Hrafn Kristjánsson, who guided KR to the national championship in 2011, as its head coach.[4] On 17 September 2018, it was reported that former 1. deild karla scoring champion and two-time Icelandic Cup winner, Marvin Valdimarsson, had signed with the team.[5] They started the 2. deild season with a bang, thrashing former 1. deild karla club Körfuknattleiksfélag ÍA with 64 points, 136–72.[6] On 16 April 2019, Álftanes defeated ÍA in the 2. deild karla finals, 123–100, and achieved promotion to the 1. deild karla.[7][8]
2019–2020
On 12 June 2019, Álftanes signed Úrvalsdeild karla all-time leader in assists, Justin Shouse.[9][10] On 22 July 2019, the team signed former 1. deild karla scoring champion Samuel Prescott Jr.[11] On 16 August 2019, the team signed former Úrvalsdeild players Birgir Björn Pétursson and Þorsteinn Finnbogason.[12] Two days later, the team signed 6-time national champion Vilhjálmur Kári Jensson from KR.[13]
2020–2021
On 2 October 2021, forward Þorsteinn Finnbogason scored 10 three pointers for Álftanes in a victory against Vestri. The team finished fifth in the league with a 9–7 record and bowed out in the first round of the promotion playoffs against Skallagrímur.
2021–2022
On 4 January 2022, the team signed Sinisa Bilic who had started the season with Breiðablik and played in the Úrvalsdeild since 2019.[14] Following Álftanes' loss against Höttur in the 1. deild promotion playoffs in April 2022, head coach Hrafn Kristjánsson announced his retirement from coaching.[15]
2022–2023
In May 2022, Kjartan Atli Kjartansson was hired as the head coach of the men's team.[16] On 13 March 2023, Álftanes secured victory in the 1. deild karla and achieved promotion to the top-tier Úrvalsdeild karla for the first time in its history.[17] After the season, Dúi Þór Jónsson was named the 1. deild karla Domestic Player of the Year while he and Eysteinn Bjarni Ævarsson where named to the Domestic All-First team and Kjartan Atli was named as the Coach of the Year.[18]
2023–2024
On 17 May 2023, Álftanes signed Icelandic national team member Hörður Axel Vilhjálmsson.[19] On 23 May, it was confirmed that Kjartan Atli would continue to coach the team during its first season in the Úrvalsdeild.[20] The following day, Álftanes signed Icelandic national team player Haukur Helgi Pálsson who had spent the previous two seasons with Njarðvík.[21] In August the team hired Helgi Jónas Guðfinnsson, who in 2012 guided Grindavík to the national championship, as an assistant coach.[22]