By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
In Stankovic’s words: Another Final Four is around the corner and what a wonderful way to crown a champion it is! Since the format was permanently adopted in 1988, I have seen all of them. Some 25 of them I experienced in person and the rest I watched on TV.
These are my memories of the most exciting moments that have marked the tournament, in my opinion. There has been a bit of everything: drama, emotion, heroes and tragic figures, great games, great stars and great coaches. Of the Final Fours I did not witness live, from Ghent in 1988, I remember Bob McAdoo, one of the best Americans to ever play in Europe. From Munich in 1989, I remember the talents of Toni Kukoc and Dino Radja; from Paris in 1991, the great duo of Kukoc and Zoran Savic sparked the Jugoplastika three-peat; and from Munich in 1999, the traditional Lithuanian power Zalgiris lifting the trophy with the help of genius playmaker Tyus Edney.
Long live the Final Four!
10. 2004 – THE MIRACLE!
If someone were to look at the final score of the 2004 championship game between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Fortitudo Bologna, 118-74, one might think: Where is the miracle in the largest win in the history of the competition? This is a bit of a trick question, because the miracle was to be found weeks earlier in the Top 16 finale, when Maccabi was almost eliminated by Zalgiris Kaunas. A three by Derrick Sharp in the last moment allowed Maccabi to force overtime in the decisive game and then roll in the extra session to make the Final Four in its own city. That was a great team with Anthony Parker, Sarunas Jasikevicius, Nikola Vujcic, Maceo Baston, Tal Burstein, Gur Shelef, Sharp, David Bluthenthal… but they were championns thanks to a miracle. Never had a title won in May been, in fact, achieved in April, three weeks earlier.