2008–09 Eurocup Basketball

Eurocup 2008-09
League Eurocup
Sport Basketball
Season MVP United States Chuck Eidson (Lietuvos Rytas)
Top scorer United States Khalid El-Amin (Azovmash)
Finals
Champions Lithuania Lietuvos Rytas
  Runners-up Russia Khimki
Finals MVP Lithuania Marijonas Petravičius

2008-09 Eurocup Basketball was the seventh edition of Europe's second-tier level transnational competition for men's professional basketball clubs, the Eurocup, and the first to be contested under the Eurocup name.[1] From the inception of the competition in 2002, it had been known as the ULEB Cup. The Eurocup is the level that is one tier below the Euroleague level.

During this season, there were 48 teams from 22 countries. After the preliminary rounds, there were 32 teams left for the regular season, with the 16 eliminated teams being relegated down and parachuting into Europe's third-tier transnational competition, the EuroChallenge. Lithuanian club Lietuvos Rytas of Vilnius, won the tournament and promotion to the top level Euroleague for the next season.

Teams of the 2008-2009 Eurocup

Country Teams Clubs (ranking in national league)
Russia Russia 5 Khimki (2nd) Dynamo Moscow (3rd) Ural Great (4th) UNICS (5th) Triumph Lyubertsy (6th)
France France 4 Chorale Roanne (2nd) ASVEL (3rd) Le Havre (5th) Cholet (8th)
Spain Spain 4 Pamesa Valencia (6th) Iurbentia Bilbao (7th) Cajasol (8th) Kalise Gran Canaria (9th)
Germany Germany 3 Telekom Bonn (2nd) Artland Dragons (6th) Brose Bamberg (7th)
Greece Greece 3 Maroussi Costa Coffee (4th) Aris (5th) Panellinios (6th)
Serbia Serbia 3 Hemofarm Vršac (2nd) Crvena Zvezda (3rd) FMP (4th)
Turkey Turkey 3 Türk Telekom (2nd) Beşiktaş Cola Turka (3rd) Galatasaray Café Crown (4th)
Belgium Belgium 2 Spirou Charleroi (2nd) Telindus Oostende (5th)
Italy Italy 2 Fortitudo Bologna (8th) Benetton Treviso (10th)
Israel Israel 2 Bnei HaSharon (3rd) Hapoel Migdal (6th)
Latvia Latvia 2 Barons LMT (1st) ASK Riga (2nd)
Lithuania Lithuania 2 Lietuvos Rytas (2nd) Šiauliai (3rd)
Poland Poland 2 Turów Zgorzelec (2nd) Czarni Slupsk (10th)
Ukraine Ukraine 2 Azovmash (1st) Kyiv (2nd)
Austria Austria 1 Allianz Swans Gmunden (1st)
Bulgaria Bulgaria 1 Lukoil Academic (1st)
Croatia Croatia 1 Zadar (1st)
Czech Republic Czech Republic 1 ČEZ Nymburk (1st)
Estonia Estonia 1 Tartu Ülikool Rock (1st)
Montenegro Montenegro 1 Budućnost (1st)
Netherlands Netherlands 1 MyGuide Amsterdam (1st)
Switzerland Switzerland 1 Benetton Fribourg (1st)

Format

The competition format was also revamped. A total of 48 clubs participated, down from 54 in the previous year's competition. The competition was jointly organized by Euroleague Basketball Company and FIBA Europe.[1]

First preliminary round

Sixteen teams competed in the first preliminary round, which was organised by FIBA Europe. These teams were paired in two-legged matches, with winners decided on aggregate score. The eight winners advanced to the second preliminary round, and the eight losers parachuted into the third-tier European competition, the EuroChallenge. The matches were played from October 14 through October 21.

Due to a decision of the Italian Basketball Federation to revoke Capo d'Orlando's first division license, followed by an Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) tribunal rejected appeal by the club, Capo d'Orlando lost the right to participate in European competitions.[2] As a result, Benetton Treviso automatically qualified to the group stage, while Benetton Fribourg advanced to the second qualification round where they met Kalise Gran Canaria.[2][3]

Second preliminary round

The second preliminary round, also organised by FIBA Europe, also featured 16 teams, with the eight winners from the first preliminary round joined by eight automatic qualifiers to that phase. As in the first preliminary round, matches were two-legged and decided on aggregate score, with the winners advancing to the Eurocup regular season and the losers parachuting into the EuroChallenge. Matches were played from November 4 to November 11.

Regular season

Thirty-two teams—24 automatic qualifiers and the eight survivors of the second preliminary round—entered the Regular Season. From this point onward, the competition is organised by Euroleague Basketball Company. The teams were divided into eight groups of four teams each, with each group playing a double round-robin schedule. The first and second-place teams in each group advanced to the Last 16. Regular Season matches were held from November 25, 2008 until January 13, 2009.

Last 16

For the first time in the history of the competition, a second group phase was played. The survivors of the Regular Season were divided into four-team groups, each playing a double round-robin schedule. This phase has a direct analogue in the top-tier Euroleague, which conducts an identical group phase, the Top 16, at the same stage of the competition. As in the Euroleague Top 16, the first- and second-place teams in each group advance to the next phase. However, unlike the Euroleague, which conducts a separate quarterfinal round before its Final Four, the Eurocup sent its surviving teams into a single knockout tournament, the Final Eight. Last 16 matches were played from January 27 to March 10, 2009.

Final eight

Like the Euroleague Final Four, this was a knockout tournament, conducted in one-off matches, held at a single site. The semifinal losers played a single match for third place, and the semifinal winners played a single match for the Eurocup title and an automatic place in the 2009-10 Euroleague. This phase was carried over from the prior ULEB Cup format. Matches were played from April 9 through April 12.

This was the last season for the Final Eight format. From 2009–10 onward, a quarterfinal round has been introduced, consisting of two-legged ties between a group winner and the runner-up from a separate group, with the winner of each tie determined on aggregate score. The quarterfinal winners will advance to the Eurocup Finals, with one-off semifinals followed by a one-off final.

Preliminary rounds

Sixteen teams participated in the first preliminary round, and after the first preliminary round matches, sixteen teams played in a second preliminary round, with the top eight teams from the first preliminary round. Teams that were eliminated from the first or second preliminary round games competed in the EuroChallenge 2008-09.

First preliminary round

Team #1 Agg. Team #2 1st leg 2nd leg
Šiauliai Lithuania 136-167 Turkey Galatasaray CC İstanbul 73-73 63-94
Amsterdam Netherlands 133-146 Serbia FMP 66-60 67-83
Energa Czarni Slupsk Poland 136-151 Russia UNICS Kazan 76-62 50-89
Swans Allianz Austria 146-139 Estonia Tartu Ülikool/Rock 86-64 60-75
Panellinios Greece 154-124 Germany Telekom Baskets Bonn 69-54 85-70
Triumph Russia 146-159 Belgium Telindus Oostende 78-78 68-81
ASK Riga Latvia 142-137 France Cholet 69-62 73-75

Second preliminary round

Team #1 Agg. Team #2 1st leg 2nd leg
A Galatasaray CC İstanbul Turkey 147-176 Montenegro Budućnost 85-83 62-93
B FMP Serbia 138-118 Russia Ural Great 69-61 69-57
C UNICS Kazan Russia 161-142 Israel Hapoel Jerusalem 88-66 73-76
D Swans Allianz Austria 163-178 Serbia BC Red Star 82-82 81-96
E Panellinios Greece 168-165 Ukraine BC Kyiv 96-69 72-96
F Le Havre France 172-168 Belgium Telindus Oostende 84-85 88-83
G Benetton Fribourg Switzerland 125-195 Spain Kalise Gran Canaria 64-92 61-103
H ASK Riga Latvia 151-134 Spain Cajasol 83-69 68-65

Regular season

Group A

Team Pld W L PF PA Diff
1. Greece Maroussi Costa Coffee 6 4 2 493 468 +25
2. Croatia Zadar 6 4 2 505 480 +25
3. Latvia ASK Riga 6 3 3 496 478 +18
4. France Chorale Roanne 6 1 5 430 498 −68

Group B

Team Pld W L PF PA Diff
1. Russia UNICS Kazan 6 6 0 488 435 +53
2. Russia Dynamo Moscow 6 4 2 490 442 +48
3. Latvia Barons/LMT Riga 6 1 5 443 489 −46
4. Bulgaria Lukoil Academic 6 1 5 454 509 −55

Group C

Team Pld W L PF PA Diff
1. Russia Khimki Moscow Region 6 5 1 459 400 +59
2. Italy Benetton 6 4 2 478 443 +35
3. Turkey Beşiktaş CT İstanbul 6 3 3 459 471 −12
4. France STB Le Havre 6 0 6 413 495 −82

Group D

Team Pld W L PF PA Diff
1. Turkey Türk Telekom Ankara 6 4 2 393 344 +49
2. Greece Panellinios 6 3 3 452 435 +17
3. Greece Aris BSA 6 3 3 457 459 −2
4. Israel Bnei HaSharon 6 2 4 362 426 −64

Group E

Team Pld W L PF PA Diff
1. Ukraine Azovmash 6 4 2 484 472 +12
2. Lithuania Lietuvos Rytas 6 3 3 491 465 +26
3. France Asvel Basket 6 3 3 475 514 −39
4. Spain Kalise Gran Canaria 6 2 4 481 480 +1

Group F

Team Pld W L PF PA Diff
1. Belgium Spirou Basket 6 5 1 485 415 +70
2. Serbia BC Red Star 6 5 1 490 425 +65
3. Poland PGE Turów 6 2 4 411 453 −42
4. Germany Brose Baskets 6 0 6 340 433 −93

Group G

Team Pld W L PF PA Diff
1. Spain Pamesa Valencia 6 6 0 497 414 +83
2. Germany Artland Dragons 6 3 3 464 495 −31
3. Italy Fortitudo 6 2 4 470 457 +13
4. Serbia BC FMP 6 1 5 398 463 −65

Group H

Team Pld W L PF PA Diff
1. Spain Iurbentia Bilbao 6 6 0 481 411 +70
2. Serbia Hemofarm 6 3 3 441 469 −28
3. Czech Republic ČEZ Nymburk 6 2 4 446 482 −36
4. Montenegro KK Budućnost 6 1 5 419 425 −6

Last 16

The second grand stage begins from January 27, 2009.

Group I

Team Pld W L PF PA Diff
1. Russia Dynamo Moscow 6 6 0 492 442 +50
2. Russia Khimki Moscow Region 6 3 3 479 457 +22
3. Greece Maroussi Costa Coffee 6 2 4 443 470 −27
4. Greece Panellinios 6 1 5 467 512 −45

Group J

Team Pld W L PF PA Diff
1. Italy Benetton 6 5 1 493 458 +35
2. Croatia Zadar 6 3 3 497 513 −16
3. Russia UNICS Kazan 6 3 3 465 414 +51
4. Turkey Türk Telekom Ankara 6 1 5 452 522 −70

Group K

Team Pld W L PF PA Diff
1. Spain Pamesa Valencia 6 4 2 450 436 +14
2. Serbia Hemofarm 6 4 2 460 428 +32
3. Ukraine Azovmash 6 3 3 477 457 +20
4. Serbia BC Red Star 6 1 5 437 503 −66

Group L

Team Pld W L PF PA Diff
1. Spain Iurbentia Bilbao 6 4 2 449 415 +34
2. Lithuania Lietuvos Rytas 6 4 2 467 406 +61
3. Belgium Spirou Basket 6 3 3 453 473 −20
4. Germany Artland Dragons 6 1 5 441 516 −75

Final eight

The Final Eight was the last stage of EuroCup 2008-09.

Bracket

Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
                   
April 2, Turin        
 Russia Dynamo Moscow  85
April 4, Turin
 Serbia Hemofarm  93  
 Serbia Hemofarm  68
April 2, Turin
     Lithuania Lietuvos Rytas  73  
 Italy Benetton Treviso  79
April 5, Turin
 Lithuania Lietuvos Rytas  85  
 Lithuania Lietuvos Rytas  80
April 3, Turin    
   Russia Khimki  74
 Spain Pamesa Valencia  73
April 4, Turin
 Russia Khimki  76  
 Russia Khimki  79
April 3, Turin
     Spain Iurbentia Bilbao  73  
 Spain Iurbentia Bilbao  76
 Croatia Zadar  67  
 

Individual statistics

Points

Rank Name Team Games Points PPG
1.United States Khalid El-AminUkraine Azovmash1119717.90

Rebounds

Rank Name Team Games Rebounds RPG
1.United States Judson WallaceItaly Benetton Treviso13967.38

Assists

Rank Name Team Games Assists APG
1.United States Khalid El-AminUkraine Azovmash11585.27

Awards

Eurocup 2008-09 MVP

Eurocup 2008-09 Finals MVP

All-Eurocup team

Season Position All-Eurocup First Team Club Team All-Eurocup Second Team Club Team
2008-09
G
 United States Chuck Eidson Lietuvos Rytas United States Khalid El-Amin Türk Telekom
2008-09
G
Russia Kelly McCarty Khimki United States Gary Neal Treviso
2008-09
F
 Slovenia Boštjan Nachbar Dynamo Moscow United States Travis Hansen Dynamo Moscow
2008-09
F
 Croatia Marko Banić Bilbao Australia Matt Nielsen Valencia
2008-09
C
Republic of Macedonia Todor Gečevski Zadar Croatia Sandro Nicević Treviso

Rising Star

Coach of the Year

See also

Notes and references

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "ULEB, FIBA Europe announce new competitions names, formats" (Press release). Euroleague.net. 2008-07-02. Retrieved 2008-07-04.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Clubs Replaced In European Competitions
  3. ↑ Benetton Basket Tamoil subs Orlandina Basket, Benetton Olympic Fribourg joins second qualifying round

External links