Big congratulations go out from BallinEurope to Panathinaikos, 2010-11 Euroleague champions. So now, it’s time for BiE’s version of “We Are the Champions,” that obligatory anthem to European champions in all sports, in order to celebrate Panathinaikos’ championship; that’s right: YouTube videos! Click below the break to see the fun and frivolity of the Greens achieving their third championship in five years. It’s instant history in the making!
May
May
2
Pargo-ing into orbit: Jeremy slams home *the* Euroleague Final Four dunk
Attention, dunkaholics! You should – nay, you must – check out the video below the break for what could well have been the play of the night in more ways than one. For Maccabi Tel Aviv against Real Madrid in the Euroleague Final Four did Jeremy Pargo achieve flight, taking off in his fearless style to jam home a two and give his guys a 40-32 advantage in the third quarter.
More significantly, this was a gap that Real would not overcome for the remainder of the game, never getting within four points again after going down just three at halftime, on the way to an 82-63 immolation by Maccabi. Prepare for liftoff and check out the clip.
May
0
Live blog: Maccabi Tel Aviv-Real Madrid
At 9pm CET, it’ll be time for the proverbial part two of the Euroleague Final Four doubleheader as Maccabi Tel Aviv takes on Real Madrid. BallinEurope will be sailing the stream of consciousness again, live blogging the action. Click below the break to follow.
May
0
Live blog: Montepaschi Siena-Panathinaikos
Right: Here it is, then. The Euroleague Final Four begins tonight and BallinEurope.com will be live blogging the action of Montepaschi Siena-Panathinaikos and Maccabi Tel Aviv-Real Madrid. Click below the break to follow the stream of consciousness…
May
1
Euroleague Final Four: Last-minute notes, Fearless Predictions™
With just a few hours to go before the Euroleague Final Four tipoff, BallinEurope has just enough time to mull over the matchups and publish more of those good ol’ Fearless Predictions™. (Keep in mind, though, that BiE was a pretty pitiful 1-3 in the playoff round.)
Panathinaikos vs. Montepaschi Siena. It’s extremely difficult to go against never-say-die Montepaschi Siena in this one; however, not only is the 2010-11 edition of Panathinaikos a team seemingly built to win the Euroleague with its combination of speed, size and incredible defensive schemes, but history appears to be on the Greens’ side as well. After all, a trio from the 2007 and 2009 EL champs – Dimitris Diamantidis, Mike Batiste and Kostas Tsartsaris – will be going again for PAO this time ‘round.
May
1
“We are the best team in Europe”: Euroleague Final Four sound bites
The Euroleague officially opened the festivities for the 2011 Final Four yesterday with a squall of press conferences, publicity and media events – but BiE will give you the short version, as presented in video form by the big league itself.
May
0
Vranković: “Montepaschi Siena very good, Panathinaikos better”
Stojko Vranković is no stranger to championship-level basketball: In 1996, he and Dominique Wilkins led Panathinaikos to its first-ever Euroleague title, played in two EL Final Fours with Aris Thessaloniki, and won Olympic silver medals with Team Yugoslavia and Team Croatia. The former Boston Celtic gave an interview to Sport.gr on the eve of the 2011 Euroleague Final Four in which he reminisces about past glories and makes his own fearless prediction for this year’s tournament (go ahead, guess who he’s got to win it all); an abridged and translated version runs below.
Who do you think will win this year’s cup?
Surely this is a very strong Final Four, but I think that Panathinaikos is the top team. I hope they win [the Euroleague title] for the sixth time and continue the good tradition.
May
1
Existence of God could be proven in Euroleague Final Four
If you hear expressions like “history in the making” and “significance” and “immortality” during the 2011 Euroleague Final Four, rest assured that this is no exaggeration, for an EL championship from one team will not only prove the existence of God but once and for all will finally settle the debate as to His favorite sports team.
The team on an incidental mission is Maccabi Tel Aviv; few, it would seem, gave the Israeli side less of a chance to be in this tournament than head coach David Blatt himself. Speaking with Blatt back in February, heinnews ran an extensive interview with the man which was capped by the following exchange.
May
0
Euroleague Final Four, 2011: Some trivia and factoids on this year’s tourney
As with any major sport tournament these days, the informational factoids flow freely through fandom, giving both typical fans and stat addicts extra stuff to look for in the games ahead … and who is BallinEurope to buck such a habit? Below run a few interesting milestones, achievements and straight-up trivia about the 2011 Euroleague Final Four clubs, players and coaches with which to impress your fellow enthusiasts. Enjoy! (And damn, is Derrick Sharp *really* that old…?)
• Real Madrid has played in an all-time record 14 Euroleague title games and eight titles – yet hasn’t even been to a Final Four since 1996, when some guy named Arvydas Sabonis was running things. Maccabi Tel Aviv is second in the record books, having appeared in 13 title games.
• Derrick Sharp will be playing in his seventh Final Four – all with Maccabi Tel Aviv – one ahead of Tal Burstein for most with the club. At eight, Fragiskos Alvertis, J.R. Holden and Theo Papaloukas are the only Euroleague ballers to have appeared in more Final Four tournaments than Sharp. Eight players have won four European titles previously; both Sharp and Burstein are looking to join that elite group.
Feb
1
Turin gets 2011 Euroleague Final Four
Turin's Palasport Olimpico
Congratulations go out from Ball in Europe this afternoon to the basketball-organizing folks of former Winter Olympics host city Turin, Italy, who have been awarded the Euroleague Basketball Final Four tournament for 2011. The venue will be the 16,600-seat Palasport Olimpico, which saw Eurocup action in 2008 and 2009.
Official Euroleague press release follows.
(Euroleague) – Euroleague Basketball is proud to announce that the Euroleague Final Four will take place in Turin, Italy in 2011, as one of the showcase events with which the city is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Italian state. The semi-finals and title game of Europe’s top competition will be played at the 16,600-seat Palasport Olimpico in May 2011.
