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By Stathis Trapezanlidis/ info@eurohoops.net
Many teams wowed with the basketball that they played in the Eurobasket, some were the big surprises of the tournament, but few were those that totally dominated and created their own empire for several years. Eurohoops presents the teams that were at the top for at least two consecutive tournaments and among the top teams for at least eight years!
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[lptitle title=”6. Soviet Union 1957-1971 “]
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The Soviet Union presented several good teams and was always a protagonist. It’s difficult for someone to say that they ever stopped dominating since, from 1957 until 1991 when the dissolution occurred, there isn’t a year and a tournament in which they didn’t win a medal. An inconceivable record! However, the most important and successful periods are two: The first is the eight consecutive gold medals (1957-1971) and the second the three gold medals in four tournaments (1979-1985).
No team dominated to the extent that the Soviet Union did in the period 1957-1971. This was the greatest team of all time in Europe at the level of national teams based on titles, medals and numbers. They won 8 consecutive Eurobasket competitions and remained undefeated for 59 games until Yugoslavia put a stop to this streak, only for them to begin their own dynasty. In this period many great personalities competed, such as Gennadi Volnov, legendary players like Viktor Zubkov and Sergei Belov and coaches that made history such as Alexander Gomelsky.
There were years when the Yugoslavs mostly tried to challenge the supremacy of the Soviets, while on other occasions the Soviets reached the top without being threatened in any substantial way.
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[lptitle title=”5. Yugoslavia 1973-1977“]
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The Yugoslavs were limited to second place four times before they were able to take the reigns from the Soviets but when they did, they stayed at the top for three consecutive tournaments. A great team with players who became legends in European basketball, such as Kresimir Cosic, Drazen Dalipagic, Zoran Slavnic and Mirza Delibasic. In 1973 in Spain the hosts were the ones who knocked the Soviets out of the final and put an end to their domination but the Yugoslavs were better in the final and they won the gold medal.
In 1975 in Belgrade as well as in 1977 in Liege, the teams of Mirko Novosel and Aca Nikolic respectively were better and they won first place in the tournament. Cosic and Dalipagic mesmerized with their appearances, with the former emerging as the MVP of the 1975 Eurobasket for the second time in his career and the latter being his team’s top scorer and the tournament’s MVP in 1977.
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[lptitle title=”4. Soviet Union 1979-1985“]
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Three tournaments without a title were three too many for the Soviets, who once again built their own dynasty with three gold medals and a bronze. In 1979 in Italy with what was Sergei Belov’s last hurrah, the Soviets easily won first place against Miki Berkovich’s Israel. In 1981 without Sergei Belov, but with Tkachenko, Myshkin, Valters and Jovaisa the Soviets were unbeatable and won the gold once again.
Their streak was interrupted in 1983 by the excellent Italian team, but two years later in West Germany with Arvydas Sabonis as their leader they crushed Czechoslovakia in the final. The Lithuanian center emerged as the MVP of the tournament. This was the Soviets’ last gold medal in a Eurobasket until the Union’s dissolution in 1991.
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[lptitle title=”3. Yugoslavia 1989-1991“]
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Many believe that this is the greatest team of all time. Consisting of stars like Petrovic, Kukoc, Radja, Divac at a very young age when they hadn’t fully shown their rich talent yet. Unfortunately for the fans of the sport Yugoslavia was split and we never got to know their ‘ceiling’. Their difference from the rest of the teams can also be seen from the outcome of the two finals when they comfortably defeated Galis’ Greek team (1989) as well as Gentile’s Italian team (1991).
Actually, in 1991 Yugoslavia competed without Jure Zdovc in the tournament as he was asked not to participate in the tournament when he was notified that Slovenia had declared independence and he obeyed. In 1989 Drazen Petrovic played in the Eurobasket for the last time and he became the MVP, while in 1991 he was succeeded by another Croatian, the impressive Toni Kukoc.
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[lptitle title=”2. Yugoslavia 1995-2001“]
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Yugoslavia was split but kept dominating with Djordjevic, Bodiroga, Divac and Stojakovic now being the protagonists. The Yugoslavs won three gold medals in the next four tournaments. Djordjevic’s performance in the final of 1995 is one of the best we’ve ever seen in the tournament with 41 points and 9/12 three-point field goals. Two years later, in 1997, he was awarded as MVP of tournament leading again the Serbs to the top.
In 2001 in Turkey and after the bronze medal in 1999, the Serbs reached the top once again with the Sacramento Kings superstar, Predrag Stojakovic, as their leader. In fact, in the final they defeated the hosts, Hedo Turkoglu’s quite ambitious Turks. This was the Serbs’ last gold medal in a Eurobasket up to this day.
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[lptitle title=”1. Spain 2009-2011“]
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Spain is the latest big empire in Europe. They won two tournaments in a row, in 2009 in Poland and in 2011 in Lithuania. Prior to that they got close to the top several times but without managing to get a taste of victory. They were finalists in 2007 in Spain, in 2003 in Sweden, third in 2001 in Turkey and fourth in 2005 in Serbia. France dethroned Spain in the last tournament (2013 in Slovenia) and the question of whether the domination of the ‘Furias Rojas’ will continue will be answered on 20 September 2015, when this year’s Eurobasket will have been completed.
This talented generation of Spaniards started getting addicted to success with the national team in 2001, when Pau Gasol, Juan Carlos Navarro, Felipe Reyes and Jorge Garbajosa first appeared. Over the years some departed but their places were filled by even more talented (Rubio) and better (Rudy Fernandez) players, and the necessary chemistry was created.
Until they could reach the top of Europe they had to go through several big disappointments first, the biggest being the lost final in Madrid to Russia. The basketball they’ve played throughout this period has been delightful and the spectacle abundant! Fast basketball, a lot of running, spectacular plays and a lot of shooting were some of the elements that characterized them.
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