BallinEurope, the European Basketball news site

Damn straight BallinEurope’ll run these videos. Alongside this year’s top-notch hoops for which the Copa Del Rey has become world famous, the 2013 edition of the tournament featured some amazing athleticism, choreography and straight-up gorgeousness from Las Dreamcheers, a dance team made up of ACB cheerleaders.

Check out the Liga Endesa-produced video directly below for highlights from last weekend’s show-within-a-show, including what must be the world’s sexiest stewardess outfits. (Is this a preview of Turkish Airlines’ new employee wardrobes?) Good ol’ YouTube provides another compilation as well…

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One squad involved in the 2012 Euroleague Final Four is getting a bit of a short shrift in the tournament this time around – namely, the Žalgiris Kaunas “Cheer Up” dance team.

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This one goes out to the German-speakers and cheerleader fans among the BallinEurope audience – BiE suspects no shortage in either category – to perk up Monday morning here on the Continent. Check out the preparations undergone by the Alba Berlin dance team before a recent match at O2 World arena as well as some in-game performance. (Hey, at under five minutes, would you rather scope this or “Kobe Doin’ Work”? BiE thought so…

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Just because. (Courtesy PBL Twitter feed.)

You’re welcome.

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If anyone ever doubted the athleticism and talent of high-level cheerleading squads, the video below will change your mind. Check out CSKA Moscow studs Andrei Kirilenko, Viktor Khryapa, Alexei Shved, Nenad Krstic and Jamont Gordon attempting to learn a few of the Red Foxes’ simpler moves with little success.

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For those of you with Facebook accounts, drop everything you’re doing immediately (or perhaps after you get to the end of this post) and check out the Baltic Basketball League page for what could well be the coolest-ever number performed by a basketball dance team.

Therein, the Lietuvos Rytas ladies are not only wearing some sharp Harley Quinn-looking red and black outfits, but also show some skills in incorporating the roundball into the routine. As this video was shot during a practice session, a few kinks sneak into the choreography, but with a tad more work this could well be the best reason to pull for the Lithuanian side to make the Euroleague Top 16…

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One of BallinEurope’s unabashedly favorite aspects of Euroleague basketball? The CSKA Moscow Dance Team, of course! And those hard-working ladies of the Red Army have been rewarded for their efforts once again with the designation of “official Euroleague Final Four Cheerleaders,” as chosen by the folks at Efes Pilsener (one of the perks of official Euroleague sponsorship, one supposes).

This marks the second time CSKA has been chosen for the honor, the first coming in 2005.

As though we needed any more wonderfulness out of the Russian squad, CSKA Dance Team leader Anna Burkina promises that “We will prepare eight new dances with new music, movements and costumes. I hope the fans will like it.”

Hey, BiE is sold already. And yes, video clips after the break.

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While recently performing “administrative” work on this blog lately, BiE noticed that one of the most popular stories this week was, oddly enough, a one-year-old “Monday’s Cigarettes” column. Most searches bringing readers to that column were for the keywords “Milica Dabović.” Dabović is a 28-year-old whose CV includes three Eurobasket tournaments with Team Serbia.

Though why exactly so many came to Ball in Europe in search of stories on Dabović was a bit of a mystery, who is BiE to ignore the public need? (Particularly the need of the red-blooded American male bit of the public, which apparently remains blisslessly unaware of this fine … um, player. Basketball player.)

Note: NSFW stuff below the break.

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See you at the Unicaja game!

Could Pionir Arena become known not only as one of the Euroleague’s top venues, but also a top spot in Europe for single ladies to scope out lads?

Seriously. So declares one Ona Mona, penner of the “Sex i Grad” column for website Balkan Insight (a page you can bet BallinEurope has bookmarked). Ms. Mona has her finger on the, ahem, pulse of Belgrade’s singles scene in her writing engaging columns in Carrie Bradshaw fashion. Her latest target is none other than Pionir.

Having previously decided that Belgrade boys were generally buff ‘n’ bitchin’, Ona this week proclaims that “If you’re a gambling woman, trying your luck in love, then the sports arena is the place to be.”

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The players and coaches aren’t the only ones prepping for upcoming 2009-10 seasons across Europe; hundreds of cheerleading teams are also putting final touches on routines and getting into shape for opening day.

As unabashed admirers of the glamorous ladies of the CSKA Moscow dance team, BallinEurope thought it might be a good idea to briefly chat with one of the Red Army’s prettier side – ‘cuz, you know, we’re professionals with a website here…

Former world-class rhythmic gymnast for Russia, team captain and six-year CSKA Moscow veteran Anna Burkina, took ten minutes of out her preseason schedule to talk with BallinEurope about training, the team’s greatest aspiration, and her own sort of devotion. And oh yes, lots of pictures are included.

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