By Stelios Toromonides/ info@eurohoops.net
Three days of the Final Four, one game, a distinction, an impressive performance, a lead, a play, a shot. Anything can make the difference and give a team the trophy.
In the 16 Final Fours that have come before, there have been seven different European champions. Panathinaikos celebrated four times (2002, 2007, 2009, 2011), CSKA Moscow (2006, 2008, 2016) and Maccabi Tel Aviv (2004, 2005, 2014) three times each, Olympiacos (2012, 2013) and Barcelona (2003, 2010) two times each, while Fenerbahce (2017) and Real Madrid (2015) have one each.
Some of these successes were accompanied by achievements that have made history. Besides, climbing to the top of Europe is a feat, and the “garnish” of this feat is made with all the records that were broken for it to take place.
10. Olympiacos – Vassilis Spanoulis (2013 Final Four)
Arena: O2 Arena (London)
Accomplishments: 1. Olympiacos: They won back-to-back EuroLeague trophies.
2. Vassilis Spanoulis: Third EuroLeague trophy and third Final Four MVP award in three appearances.
They were the defending European Champions, but once again they were the outsider of the Final Four against Barcelona, CSKA Moscow and Real Madrid. This particular role fits them perfectly, as was once again shown. Olympiacos defended their title by playing total basketball, with which they prevailed over the Army Team in the semifinal (69-52) and the Whites in the final (100-88).
At the same time, the leader of the Piraeus team, Vassilis Spanoulis, tied an amazing record held by Toni Kukoc from the three-year period between 1989 and 1991. In his third appearance in the Final Four, he won his third MVP award and his third EuroLeague trophy. To this he added the MVP of the season, to cap a legendary season.
9. Barcelona (2010 Final Four)
Arena: Bercy (Paris)
Accomplishment: The only team to win the EuroLeague with just two defeats throughout the entire season (20-2 record).
The definition of a flawless season! Xavi Pascual’s Barcelona started out the regular season as the favorites, maintained this reputation throughout the season and were crowned champions after what turned out to be a walkover in the Final Four in Paris.
So far, there hasn’t been another team in the modern era of the EuroLeague with only two defeats in a trophy-winning season. In the Final Four, the Blaugrana first subjugated CSKA Moscow with ease (64-54) and then Olympiacos (86-68).
It’s worth highlighting that it’s very rare, almost impossible, for a team that has been doing perfectly throughout the season to win the trophy in the end. We’ll only mention the examples of CSKA Moscow in the 2004-2005 and 2011-2012 seasons, as well as Real Madrid’s mishap three years later.
8. Maccabi Tel Aviv (2014 Final Four)
Arena: Mediolanum Forum (Milan)
Accomplishment: The first team to win a EuroLeague final in overtime.
At the start of that season, Maccabi Tel Aviv had been characterized as a limited team that couldn’t compete for another EuroLeague title after nine whole seasons (the last time they had won the trophy was in 2005).
Despite that, the Israelis managed to reach the Final Four under the instructions of David Blatt. There, quite a few… unexpected things happened so that they could win the trophy. Initially, they needed Victor Khryapa’s… contribution in order to get past CSKA Moscow in the Final Four.
The final was against the competition’s big favorites, Real Madrid. The Madrilenos had an impressive season all the way to the Final Four with a 24-4 record, they demolished Barcelona in the semifinal with a 100-62 win, but they couldn’t overcome Maccabi’s obstacle. The Israelis managed to take the game into overtime and win the EuroLeague, becoming the first team to be crowned champions in the extra five minutes of the title game.