By Antonis Stroggylakis/ info@eurohoops.net
For some, it was an overwhelming and difficult to handle first-time experience. But for others it was just the gateway to ultimate glory: Winning the crown of the European championship.
Since the first modern Final Four that took place in Ghent, 1988, – in which Partizan, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Aris BC and Oimpia Milano were the contenders – there have been 22 newcomers in the final stage of the competition known back then as the “European Champion’s Cup” and, since the previous decade, as “Euroleague”. This year, another team, Lokomotiv Kuban, will write its first page in the Final Four bible.
Given the chance we take a look at what each and every previous “Cinderellas” did and how they fared when they premiered in the Final Four. Counting from the one of Munich 1989, to last year’s tournament in Madrid, let’s remember the adventures of each Final Four first-timer.
Munich 1989 – Jugoplastica & Barcelona
Two teams made their first appearance in a Final Four in Munich. The first was no other than the mythical Jugoplastica, one of the best teams in the history of European basketball. Their “Age of Dominance” that spanned for three years and was translated into three Euroleague titles began in Munich where the team won first place with Toni Kukoc being named Final Four MVP.
The other new comer was Barcelona which finished fourth after being defeated 87-77 by Jugoplastica in the semifinal and then 88-71 by Aris Thessaloniki in the third-place game.
Zaragoza 1990 – Limoges CSP
It was then when Limoges CSP appeared among the top four teams in Europe for the first time in the history of the club. Although they could not match the strength of Barcelona in the semi-final (83-104), they managed to finish the tournament in style, by winning third place after downing Aris Thessaloniki 101 – 83.
Paris 1991 – Scavolini Pesaro
Scavolini Pesaro fell in the lion’s den in the Final Four of 1991 in Paris, since all other teams (Jugoplastica, under the name “Pop 84”, Barcelona and Maccabi) were highly experienced and extremely powerful. However, the Italian team didn’t go out without a fight. At halftime of the semi-final against Pop 84 they were ahead of the score 45 – 41, but ultimately lost 93 – 87. In a close third-place game, Pesaro was then beaten by Maccabi Tel Aviv 83 – 81.
Istanbul 1992 – Joventut Badalona & Estudiantes
In its first participation in a Final Four, Joventut Badalona almost conquered the peak of Europe. And it would have made it up there, if not from one of the most monumental winning baskets in the history of… well… perhaps global basketball.
After easily beating, the other fellow Spaniards and Final Four first-timers Estudiantes in the semifinal-showdown, the Catalans met Partizan Belgrade in the Final. With ten seconds to go and the score 70 – 70 Tomas Jofresa scored an acrobatic lay-up but then Sasa Djordjevic banged the three-pointer that gave Partizan Belgrade the title.
As for Estudiantes, it lacked the strength to appear competitive in the third-place game, losing to Milano 81 – 99.
Athens 1993 – Benetton Treviso, PAOK Thessaloniki & Real Madrid
Three Final Four newcomers met in “Peace and Friendship” arena, hence we had another appointment in the semi-final game for the two of them. In a quite memorable semifinal, Benetton Treviso of Toni Kukoc bettered PAOK 79 – 77 to advance in the Final. But that was the end of the road for the Italian team that was overpowered by the unattractive, yet defensively immense basketball of Limoges.
Real Madrid had been already beaten 52 – 62 by Limoges in the semi-final and in the third-place game, PAOK prevailed 76 – 70 with 20 points by Kenny Barlow.
Tel Aviv 1994 – Olympiacos & Panathinaikos
What better way for the two Greek powerhouses, to begin their Final Four journeys, other than facing each other in the semi-final. The game ended with Olympiacos beating Panathinaikos 77 – 72 and becoming the first Greek team to advance in a Euroleague Final. But while the Reds were the huge favorites in that game, Joventut Badalona meant some serious business and in the end, forced a nearly suicidal Olympiacos to second place, winning the game 59 – 57.
Meanwhile Panathinaikos finished third in the tournament, after beating Barcelona 100 – 83.
Paris 1996 – CSKA Moscow
CSKA Moscow popped its cherry in Euroleague Final Four tournaments in Paris 1996. Despite a brilliant game of 23 points and 9 assists by Vasssili Karasev in the semi-final against Panathinaikos, the Russian team was beaten 81 – 71. But CSKA Moscow ended its obligations in the competition with a 74 – 73 over Real Madrid thanks to 23 points by Gundars Vetra.
Rome 1997 – Olimpija Lubjana & Asvel Villeurbanne
This was the first and only participation for Olimpija Lubjana and Villeurbanne in a Euroleague Final Four. Both teams fell against their superior opponents in the semi-finals, with Olimpija losing the game against Olympiacos 65 – 74 and Asvel getting defeated by Barcelona 77 – 70.
The Slovenian team was the one to smile in the third-place game winning 86 – 79 with Darko Milic scoring 17 points.
Barcelona 1998 – Kinder Bologna & AEK Athens
The two newcomers in the Final Four of 1998 were bound to meet in the title game! Driven by the brute force that was Zoran Savic (23 p.), Bologna subdued Partizan Belgrade 83 – 61 in the first semi-final and then AEK downed Benetton Treviso 69 – 66 to qualify in the Final thanks to 21 points by ex-NBAer Willie Anderson.
In the game that was far from pretty and remains the Euroleague Final with the lowest scoring output, Bologna was crowned European champion for the first time in the history of the club. The 58 points scored by Ettore Messina’s players were more than good enough against the… 44 that AEK produced.
Munich 1999 – Zalgiris Kaunas
This time the newcomer was fast, furious displaying an almost revolutionary offensive basketball with which it stunned its opponents and. In the end, won the Euroleague title, which remains the only one in the history of Zalgiris Kaunas.
Coach Kazlauskas’ squad of slammed Olympiacos 87 – 71 in the semi-final and then put a stop in Kinder Bologna’s dream for a repeat, winning 82 – 74 thanks to a particularly aggressive first half.
Thessaloniki 2000 – Efes Pilsen
After becoming the first ever Turkish team to bring home an international trophy, with the Korac Cup in 1996, Efes also broke new ground for its country’s basketball scene by gaining entry to the Euroleague Final Four of 2000.
Although the newcomer was unable to match Panathinaikos in the semi-final, losing the match 81 – 71, it managed to beat Barcelona 75 – 69 winning third-place behind a double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds by Huseyin Besok.
Barcelona 2003 – Montepaschi Siena
A new Italian power was rising in the 00s, making a statement early in the decade by advancing to the Final Four of 2003. There, Montepaschi Siena would do battle with Benetton Treviso in the semi-final. Even though it fell behind with a margin of 18 points near the end of the second quarter of the match, Siena made a huge comeback, and entered the last minute of the game ahead in the score. But in the end, Treviso had the last laugh and the ticket to the title game.
In the third-place game, Montepaschi Siena managed he tournament in a high note winning CSKA Moscow 79 – 78 with the late Alphonso Ford scoring 18 points.
Moscow 2005 – Baskonia
An enormously talented 2005 Baskonia didn’t only make it to the Final Four in Moscow but absolutely stunned CSKA, the tournament’s hosts. Arvydas Macijauskas (23 points) and Jose Calderon (13 points) came up big in the fourth quarter for their team to win the game 85 – 78 and march straight to the Final.
Despite being initially taken aback by the powerful Maccabi Tel Aviv in the title game, Baskonia fought back from a 16-point deficit getting close with a two-point difference at the end of the third period. But Maccabi Tel Aviv was mean business and once again increased its lead, forcing the Basques to finish second in their first Final Four venture.
Athens 2007 – Unicaja Malaga
History was made in 2007 for Unicaja Malaga that advanced in the first Final Four in the history of the club. The Andalusians were bound to meet reigning champs CSKA Moscow in the semi-final and, as one an easily imagine they were the obvious underdog. But they bit hard enough to give lots of trouble to their opponents, managing to stay in the game until the fourth quarter. Alas, a 14-0 by superior CSKA forced them to a 62 – 50 defeat in the end.
But Unicaja Malaga brought the fight in the third-place game where a final quarter comeback and a huge lay-up in the very last second of the game by Marcus Brown gave them a 76 – 74 victory and third place in the tournament.
Madrid 2016 – Fenerbahce
The first ever Final Four didn’t go exactly as planned for Fenerbahce. The highly ambitious team led by coach Obradovic was completely overwhelmed in the semi-final by tournament hosts and champions to be Real Madrid, losing the game more easily than what the final 96 – 87 shows.
In the battle for the third place, Fenerbahce fell 86 – 80 to CSKA Moscow. Andrew Goudelock, top scorer in Euroleague in 2015/2016 season, averaged 25 points in the two Final Four games.