Perlas (basketball club)

BC Perlas Energija, is a professional basketball club based in Vilnius, Lithuania, currently competing in the Nacionalinė krepšinio lyga. BC Perlas is a daughter club of the Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius.
Perlas club was founded in 2003. Over the decade the team had many variations of its name, but it always had the word "Perlas" (Pearl) in it except during 2012-2013 season, when it was called "Vilnius-MRU". It developed young prospects and became a springboard to professional career for former Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius players, Dovydas Redikas and BC Žalgiris former player Mindaugas Kuzminskas. Undoubtedly, Perlas’ best-known alumnus is Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius, Memphis Grizzlies and Lithuania men's national basketball team center Jonas Valančiūnas.
"Perlas-MRU" qualified for second tier Lithuanian basketball league (NKL) playoffs for the first time in the 2006-2007 season. An ambitious and young team in 2009 went on a commercial basis to play in the LKL. During two seasons in the league "Perlas-MRU" finished regular season respectively in 8th and 7th places. On 14 July 2011, the club merged with NKL champions „Pieno Žvaigždės“, with many players signing with BC Pieno žvaigždės as a result.
In 2011-2012 season after returning to the NKL, "Perlas-MRU" did not qualify for the playoffs. In 2012-2013 season the results for the team were much better. In the regular season Vilnius team was ranked 12th (14/20), but in the Round of 16 it eliminated fifth ranked Sūduva-Mantinga (2:1). In the quarterfinals, "Perlas-MRU" met with Jonavos "Triobet" but was eliminated after three intense matches.
In 2013-2014 season Perlas once again qualified for NKL playoffs. In round of 16 Mindaugas Sakalauskas players crushed Klaipedos Nafta-Universitetas (3:0) and in quarterfinals after 5 games was forced to concede to Delikatesas Joniškis .