By Antigoni Zachari/ info@eurohoops.net
After a long and challenging season, the time has come for UNICS Kazan and AS Monaco to face each other with two goals in mind: the trophy and a much-desired EuroLeague qualification for the 2021-22 season.
As Game 1 of the Finals tips off Tuesday (18:00 CET), we look back to five defining moments of the EuroCup Finals all the way back from 2003 to 2019 (since the 2019-20 season was not concluded).
Darussafaka stops Lokomotiv’s 20-game streak to lift 2018 title
Darussafaka returned to the EuroCup in the 2017-18 season after many years away from all European competitions and ended their run in the best way possible, after sweeping favorites Lokomotiv in the finals, to earn access to the EuroLeague next year.
Scottie Wilbekin posted 24 and 28 points respectively for David Blatt’s squad in this series, to land the Finals MVP honors and Darussafaka has one more reason to brag about this title! Not only did they end a 55-year drought without trophies but managed to also end Lokomotiv’s 20-game winning streak prior to the finals.
UNICS’ first title in 2011
UNICS returned to the competition after enjoying its maiden appearance in EuroLeague in the 2009-10 season. The Russian side beat Cajasol Seville 92-77 in the 2011 final, to lift its second continental trophy after winning the 2004 FIBA Europa League.
Maciej Lampe was the hero of the 2011 final, as he led Evgeny Pashutin’s squad to victory with a dominant performance of 26 points and 11 boards.
Since then, UNICS set sail into European basketball to become a EuroCup and EuroLeague regular and history repeats, as they have outlasted the semifinals against undefeated Virtus Bologna to chase after their second EuroCup title this season.
Valencia holds on in Game 3 against ALBA to make history
186 games into the 2018-19 season, Valencia Basket was the last team to stand strong and finally lifted its fourth EuroCup crown, a record number for the competition. The Spanish side took the best-of-three finals series against ALBA Berlin home to win Game 3 89-63 for the largest margin of victory in a EuroCup Finals game.
Matt Thomas earned the MVP of the finals honors, after leading the series in scoring (17.3 ppg.) and index rating (21.3). Thomas had 19 points in the championship game, while Fernando San Emeterio stepped up with 18 points.
Rudy Fernandez wins MVP in the 2008 Final
Back in the day, Rudy Fernandez was Joventut Badalona’s brightest prospect and he lived up to the expectations in 2008, as he led his team to win the title after a long season.
From the regular season that featured 54 teams, all the way to the Final Eight, Joventut stood strong to lift its first ULEB Cup trophy by downing Akasvayu Girona 54-79 in the all-Spanish clash for the title game. Fernandez landed the MVP honors of the game with 13 points, 7 rebounds and 3 steals, for a PIR of 22.
A roster that featured not only Fernandez but also Marc Gasol, Ricky Rubio and Pau Ribas, made history in the final with the fewer points allowed – 54 – and the biggest winning margin with 25 points, up to that date.
Pedro Robles’ game-winning three pronounces Valencia‘s first-ever EuroCup title
2002-03 was the inaugural season for the ULEB Cup and the Game 2 of the finals between Slovenian side Krka and Valencia had a nerve-wracking end in store.
With under five seconds to play and Valencia down by one point, Pedro Robles hit the game-winning three for the Spanish team to help them become the competition’s first champions.
For the record, Valencia had the upper hand in the series after winning their previous showdown 90-78, so there was no way they would stray from the crown path, though the taste of this sweet victory in Game 2 hit differently!
Hapoel Jerusalem, the underdog that upset Real Madrid in 2004
The second-ever EuroCup final was no less of a thriller, as Hapoel Jerusalem defeated European powerhouse Real Madrid in its first finals appearance, to become just the second Israeli team ever to lift a continental trophy!
A big-time performance in the third quarter set the mood for Hapoel that managed to keep a 15-point lead and even though Real managed to somehow recover, they ran short on time and gave way to the Israeli team.
Kelly McCarty led Hapoel with 22 points to win the Finals MVP award and he eventually returned to the EuroCup podium with UNICS in 2011.