2008–09 FIBA EuroChallenge

EuroChallenge
Champions Italy Virtus Bologna
1st title
Runners-up France Cholet
Third place Russia Triumph Lyubertsy
Fourth place Cyprus AEL Limassol
Teams 32
Duration 25 November 2008 – 26 April 2009
Awards
Final Four MVP United States Keith Langford
Statistical leaders
Points

United States Austin Nichols

19.6

Rebounds

Nigeria Abdullahi Kuso

8.8

Assists

United States Dontaye Draper

6.2

2008–09 FIBA EuroChallenge was the sixth edition of Europe's third-tier level transnational men's professional club basketball FIBA EuroChallenge Tournament, and the first under the FIBA EuroChallenge name, organized by FIBA Europe. In the previous year it was known as FIBA EuroCup.
Teams of the EuroChallenge 2008–09

Teams

Already Qualified
Country (League) Teams Teams
Russia Russia (Superleague A) 4 Ural Great Triumph Lyubertsy Lokomotiv Rostov CSK VVS Samara
Belgium Belgium (Ethias League) 3 Base Oostende Dexia Mons-Hainaut Liege Basket
Germany Germany (BBL) 3 Telekom Baskets Bonn Deutsche Bank Skyliners EWE Baskets
Ukraine Ukraine (SuperLeague) 3 BC Kyiv Khimik Sumykhimprom Sumy
Cyprus Cyprus (Division 1) 2 Keravnos Proteas EKA AEL
Estonia Estonia (KML) 2 BC Kalev/Cramo Tartu Ülikool/Rock
France France (LNB) 2 Cholet Basket Hyères-Toulon
Netherlands Netherlands (FEB) 2 EiffelTowers Den Bosch EclipseJet MyGuide A'dam
Greece Greece (ΕΣΑΚΕ) 1 Olympia Larissa
Israel Israel (Ligat HaAl) 1 Hapoel Jerusalem
Italy Italy (Lega) 1 Virtus Bologna
Latvia Latvia (LBL) 1 BK Ventspils
Lithuania Lithuania (LKL) 1 BC Siauliai
Austria Austria (OBL) 1 Allianz Swans Gmunden
Poland Poland (PLK) 1 Czarni Słupsk
Spain Spain (ACB) 1 Cajasol
Turkey Turkey (TBL) 1 Galatasaray Café Crown
Switzerland Switzerland (LNBA) 1 Benetton Fribourg

Format

In all there are will be 40 teams from 21 countries, plus sixteen unknown teams from the ULEB Eurocup 2008-09 first preliminary round and second preliminary round. The competition is jointly run by FIBA Europe.

First Qualifying Round

The competition starts from the first qualifying round. Thirty two teams will participate in this round. These teams will be paired in two-legged matches, with winners decided on two matches aggregate score. The eight winners advance to the second qualifying round, losers are eliminated. First matches will be played on October 14, while second on October 21–22.

Second Qualifying Round

Winners from the first round advance to the second qualifying round. Teams will played with each other, with all those teams from first qualifying round. Matches are also two-legged and decided on aggregate score, with the winners are advancing to the EuroChallenge Regular Season and the losers are eliminated. First matches will be played on November 4 and second on November 11.

Regular season

EuroChallenge Regular Season is the main phase of FIBA EuroChallenge tournament. Eight winners from the second qualifying round, eight automatic qualifiers and sixteen teams from 2008–09 Eurocup Basketball First preliminary round and Second preliminary round (eight losers from the first round and eight losers from the second). The teams are 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 advance to the Top 16. The Regular Season matches will be held from November 25, 2008 until January 13, 2009.

Top 16

As in the Euroleague and for the first time Top 16 will be held. The top two places from each group from the regular season will advance to the Top 16. There are four groups with four teams in each. The matches are also double round-robin. The top two places from each group advance to the Quarter Final Round. The matches must be played from January 27 to March 10, 2009.

Quarter Final Round

Eight winners from the Top 16 will play each other in quarter-final phase. The games will be played in a best-of-three playoff series (third game will be played if necessary). The quarter-final winners advance to the Final Four. First and second games will be played on March 17 and March 19, third game will be played on March 25 (if necessary).

Final four

The Final Four is the culminating stage of EuroChallenge, in which the quarter-final winners play in a knockout tournament. The winning semifinalists advance to the final, while the losers play a third-place game immediately before the final. The Final Four winner becomes 2008–09 FIBA EuroChallenge champion, and also receives an automatic berth in the 2009–10 Eurocup Basketball (although it is possible that the team may qualify for the Euroleague through its domestic league).

The Final Four was held at Futurshow Station in Bologna, with the semifinals on April 24 and the third-place game and final on April 26.

Qualifying rounds

Thirty-two teams will participate in the first round and sixteen in the second.

First qualifying round

# Team #1 Agg. Team #2 1st leg 2nd leg
B BK Prostějov Czech Republic 134-148 Croatia KK Zagreb 61-69 73-79
C KK AMAK SP Republic of Macedonia 148-145 Slovenia Zlatorog Laško 70-76 78-69
D CSU Asesoft Romania 147-145 Russia Spartak 79-76 68-69
E U Mobitelco Cluj Romania 132-163 Germany EWE Baskets 60-86 72-77
F Svendborg Rabbits Denmark 168-180 Bosnia and Herzegovina HKK Široki 92-100 76-80
H MBC Mykolaiv Ukraine 138-151 Germany DB Skyliners 68-75 70-76
I Energy Invest Rustavi Georgia (country) 160-200 Ukraine Sumykhimprom 81-110 79-90
J Spartak Pleven Bulgaria 153-176 Turkey Antalya BB BK 83-87 70-89
K APOEL Cyprus 113-135 France JA Vichy 52-66 61-69
L CSU Sibiu Romania 144-186 Turkey Banvit Bandırma 67-74 77-112
M Cedevita Zagreb Croatia 150-157 France Hyères-Toulon 92-82 58-75
N Körmend Hungary 171-201 Netherlands EiffelTowers Den Bosch 71-88 100-113
O BC Donetsk Ukraine 120-134 Cyprus AEL 65-65 55-79
P Bakken Bears Denmark 119-164 Belgium Liege Basket 55-67 64-97

Second qualifying round

# Team #1 Agg. Team #2 1st leg 2nd leg
EiffelTowers Den Bosch Netherlands 166-130 Republic of Macedonia KK AMAK SP 94-66 72-64
HKK Široki Bosnia and Herzegovina 155-164 Ukraine Sumykhimprom 73-73 82-91
CSK VSS Russia 149-136 Croatia KK Zagreb 80-60 69-76
DB Skyliners Germany 127-125 Turkey Antalya BB BK 60-60 67-65
Hyères-Toulon France 170-154 Romania CSU Asesoft 103-77 67-77
EWE Baskets Germany 150-120 Bosnia and Herzegovina KK Borac 76-46 74-74
Liege Basket Belgium 154-137 France JA Vichy 74-67 80-70
Banvit Bandırma Turkey 165-189 Cyprus AEL 93-100 72-89

Regular season

Regular Season begins from November 25, 2008.

Group A

Team Pld W L PF PA Diff
1. Belgium Belgacom Liege 6 6 0 492 433 +59
2. Spain Cajasol 6 3 3 480 405 +75
3. Latvia BK Ventspils 6 2 4 436 509 73
4. Poland Energa Czarni 6 1 5 462 523 61

Group B

Team Pld W L PF PA Diff
1. Russia Ural Great 6 5 1 498 433 +65
2. Germany Telekom Baskets Bonn 6 3 3 417 413 +4
3. France SAOS Hyères 6 3 3 478 485 7
4. Cyprus Keravnos 6 1 5 434 496 62

Group C

Team Pld W L PF PA Diff
1. France Cholet Basket 6 6 0 485 410 +75
2. Russia Lokomotiv Rostov 6 4 2 460 424 +36
3. Ukraine BC Sumykhimprom 6 1 5 471 513 42
4. Switzerland Benetton Olympic 6 1 5 384 453 69

Group D

Team Pld W L PF PA Diff
1. Cyprus Proteas EKA AEL 6 4 2 519 456 +63
2. Netherlands EiffelTowers 6 4 2 501 480 +21
3. Lithuania BC Siauliai 6 4 2 484 497 13
4. Austria Allianz Swans 6 0 6 428 499 71

Group E

Team Pld W L PF PA Diff
1. Germany EWE Baskets Oldenburg 6 4 2 469 451 +18
2. Netherlands EclipseJet MyGuide 6 3 3 435 447 12
3. Israel Hapoel Jerusalem 6 3 3 397 377 +20
4. Greece Olympia Larissa 6 2 4 357 383 26

Group F

Team Pld W L PF PA Diff
1. Belgium Dexia 6 4 2 514 451 +63
2. Turkey Galatasaray CC İstanbul 6 4 2 483 447 +36
3. Croatia KK Zagreb 6 2 4 443 492 49
4. Ukraine Khimik 6 2 4 449 499 50

Group G

Team Pld W L PF PA Diff
1. Italy Virtus Bologna 6 5 1 472 444 +28
2. Russia CSK-VVS 6 3 3 440 439 +1
3. Belgium Base Oostende 6 2 4 490 487 +3
4. Estonia Tartu Rock 6 2 4 451 483 32

Group H

Team Pld W L PF PA Diff
1. Russia BC Triumph 6 4 2 441 405 +36
2. Ukraine BC Kyiv 6 4 2 440 393 +47
3. Germany D. Bank Skyliners 6 2 4 375 425 50
4. Estonia BC Kalev/Cramo 6 2 4 431 464 33

Top16

The Top 16 phase begins from January 27, 2009.

Group I

Team Pld W L PF PA Diff
1. France Cholet Basket 6 5 1 450 408 +42
4. Germany Telekom Baskets Bonn 6 3 3 415 425 –10
3. Belgium Belgacom Liege 6 2 4 410 432 –22
4. Netherlands EiffelTowers 6 2 4 433 443 –10

Group J

Team Pld W L PF PA Diff
1. Italy Virtus Bologna 6 4 2 479 444 +35
2. Ukraine BC Kyiv 6 4 2 446 399 +47
3. Germany EWE Baskets 6 3 3 456 470 –14
4. Turkey Galatasaray CC İstanbul 6 1 5 478 546 –68

Group K

Team Pld W L PF PA Diff
1. Cyprus Proteas EKA AEL 6 5 1 472 421 +51
2. Russia Ural Great 6 3 3 453 453 0
3. Spain Cajasol 6 2 4 417 418 –1
4. Russia Lokomotiv Rostov 6 2 4 399 449 –50

Group L

Team Pld W L PF PA Diff
1. Russia BC Triumph 6 5 1 472 431 +41
2. Netherlands EclipseJet MyGuide 6 4 2 481 461 +20
3. Belgium Dexia 6 3 3 495 482 +13
4. Russia CSK-VVS 6 0 6 429 503 –74

Quarterfinals

Bracket

Team #1 Agg. Team #2 1st leg 2nd leg 3rd leg*
Cholet Basket France 2-1 Ukraine BC Kyiv 68-52 72-77 80-74
Virtus Bologna Italy 2-0 Germany Telekom Baskets Bonn 86-76 106-91
Proteas EKA AEL Cyprus 2-0 Netherlands EclipseJet MyGuide 82-72 83-72
BC Triumph Russia 2-1 Russia Ural Great 100-102 91-65 78-63

* if necessary

Final four

The Final Four will be the last stage of EuroChallenge 2008–09. The event will take place at the Futurshow Station, in Bologna.

Semi-finals Final
April 24 - Bologna
 France Cholet Basket  81  
 Russia BC Triumph  78  
 
April 26 - Bologna
     France Cholet Basket  75
   Italy Virtus Bologna  77
Third place
April 24 - Bologna April 26 - Bologna
 Italy Virtus Bologna  83  Russia BC Triumph  94
 Cyprus Proteas EKA AEL  69    Cyprus Proteas EKA AEL  82

Individual Statistics

Points

Rank Name Team Games Points PPG
1.United States Austin NicholsFrance SAOS Hyères1019619.60

Rebounds

Rank Name Team Games Rebounds RPG
1.Nigeria Abdullahi KusoUkraine BC Sumykhimprom10888.80

Assists

Rank Name Team Games Assists APG
1.United States Dontaye DraperBelgium Base Oostende9566.22

See also

External links

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