BallinEurope, the European Basketball news site

League play is now accelerating to a close all over The Continent, and BallinEurope’s “List of European Champions” page gets more updates.

Most men’s domestic leagues have completely closed up shoppe for 2009-10, but BiE has also listed a few details on where other leagues stand at present; links are provided where possible.

If no information follows a country’s name, that simply means BiE has yet to find anything on the basketball league there. However, this page will be updated throughout the next couple of weeks as associations close the books on the 2009-10 season; watch this space for updates, as they say.

Any information BiE readers can provide is much appreciated as well.

Champions and/or contenders throughout Europe include the following.

Albania: Birmingham vs. Apollonia to be played “during May.”

Austria: Allianz Swans Gmunden is the Austrian champion, overcoming top-seeded BSC Raiffeisen Fürstenfeld Panthers in game five of the best-of-five, 76-68. Series MVP Deteri Mayes contributed a huge 30 points in the clincher.

Belarus: Minsk swept Grodno in the best-of-five championship series with a crushing 83-59 victory in game three. The wonderfully-named Dante Stiggers was named league MVP for 2009-10.

Belgium: Spirou Basket Charleroi made it three consecutive Belgian titles by beating Belgacom Liege Basket in the finals, culminating in a ridiculous 74-49 victory in game four.

Bosnia-Herzegovina: Siroki TT Kabeli made it back-to-back titles in sweeping Igokea out in three games.

Bulgaria: The Bulgarian basketball league is currently in its semi-final round. Levski awaits winner of Rila Sport vs. Lukoil Akademik series.

Croatia: Cibona Zagreb defended its Croatian League title by winning three consecutive games to take the best-of-five series over KK Zadar.

Cyprus: Cyprus’ Division A was won by APOEL, which beat regular-season leader AEL in a battle of EuroChallenge teams in the best-of-five championship series, three games to one; the title gives APOEL back-to-back titles in Cyprus’ national league.

*Note: It has been brought to the attention of BallinEurope that neither FIBA Europe the Cyprus Basketball Federation recognizes Cyprus’ “Northern League,” comprised of teams located in the Turkish-occupied part of the nation, as a valid entity. As such, BiE cannot report on such results as part of any consideration in a “national champions” list. I apologize for any perceived slight to folks in the North Cyprus region or for offending any readers of BallinEurope.com.

Czech Republic: Semifinals are in progress and run through May 26 (if necessary).

Denmark: Svendborg Rabbits won the championship game over Bakken Bears, 76-51.

Estonia: Tartu Rock took the title by overcoming Rakvere in the finals, four games to two. In game six, guard Todd Abernathy contributed a crazy 30 points and 12 rebounds to lead his team. The championship makes six Estonian titles for Rock in the last 11 seasons and three of the last four.

Finland: Tampereen Pyrinto won the Korisliiga title.

France: Even with Kevin Seraphin, Cholet pulled off the upset in the LNB championship to win the title, 81-65.

FYR Macedonia:

Georgia:

Germany: In topsy-turvy 2009-10 Germany, no. 5 seed Brose Baskets Bamberg and no. 7 seed Deutsche Bank Skyliners face off for the title and an automatic Euroleague bid for next season. Game one went to the visiting Skyliners, 65-63; game two is one Wednesday.

Greece: Panathinaikos took its incredible 8th consecutive EΣAKE championship by winning a 39-minute game four under insane conditions.

Holland: The GasTerra Flames “spanked” the World Class Aviation Academy (gotta love those Dutch league names) in the championship game, 89-65, for the title.

Hungary: Recent Hungarian sports power ZTE took out Paks Atomerőmű in game four, 67-60, to take its first national championship since 1992. Check out the writeup provided by local sports newspaper Nemzeti Sport for an excellent victory cigar-chomping picture of Louis Hinnant, Calvin Watson and Team Hungary’s youth teamer David Gaspar. Dude, total culture shock.

Iceland: Snaefell overcame long-time foes Keflavik to win the Icelandic title, three games to two.

Ireland: Killester took the Irish Superleague triple crown in 2009-10 by defeating the UL Eagles in the championship game, 74-64.

Israel: A shocker from the Ligat HaAl: Maccabi, winner of 37 of the last 40 Israeli league titles, succumbed to Galil Gilboa, 90-77 in the final game. Maccabi head coach Pini Gershon, who once complained that the single-game elimination format was designed to end his franchise’s dominance has proven prophetic, as Tel Aviv has now gone down in the championship game two of the past three years.

Italy: Montepaschi Siena continues their Italy-dominating ways by taking a 2-0 lead into game three of the best-of-five Serie A championship Against AJ Milano. MPS took the first two by a combined 42 points. Game three tips off on tonight at 8.30pm CET (2.30pm EST).

Kosovo: In one of Europe’s youngest countries and youngest leagues, Sigal Prishtina made it consecutive titles by defeating Trepca, 74-55, in game four of the championship series.

Latvia: BK Barons overcame VEF Riga, 78-71, in game seven of what was apparently a grueling Latvian championship series to take the title. Baltic Basketball League MVP Alex Renfroe contributed a nice performance in a losing effort, going for 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting plus 10 rebounds in 37 minutes played.

Lithuania: Lietuvos Rytas took the 2009-10 LKL title after defeating Žalgiris Kaunas in game seven of the championship series, 80-71. With the win, L.Rytas earned a spot in the 2010-11 edition of Euroleague basketball. Žalgiris’ entry in the big league is already assured.

Luxembourg: Amicale has a spot in the finals; the final game in the three-game semifinal between Eztella and Sparta was played last night.

Malta:

Moldova:

Montenegro: Gamma Cahul took games one and two over Chisinau, with the five-game series heading to Chisinau.

Norway: The Asker Aliens defeated the Tromsø Storm, three games to one, for the Norwegian league title.

Poland: Anwil takes on Euroleague team Asseco Prokom in the best-of-seven game championship series beginning on May 22.

Portugal: Benefica are the 2009-10 Portugeuse champions, taking care of business against Portugal Cup winners Porto Ferpinta in the finals, four games to one. Putting in a monster game five was series MVP Heshimu Evans (remember him?), who contributed 23 points and 9 rebounds in the 85-74 win.

Romania: With a tip of the cap to reader Adrian Micinic of Numai Baschet, Ploiesti made short work of would-be dethroners Cluj-Napoca: “CSU Asesoft Ploiesti are again the Romanian Champions. They won Games Three and Four, 83-77 and 72-67, respectively. They played against U Mobitelco Cluj-Napoca in the finals and won the series 4-0. The team from Ploiesti is national champion for the 7th time in a row.” Seven times? Can anyone in the world currently touch the seven-peat?

Russia: To surely no one’s surprise, CSKA Moscow took its 17th Russian Superleague title by defeating Euroleague sensation BC Khimki Moscow region in the finals.

Scotland:

Serbia: Partizan Belgrade was awarded the Serbian Superleague title over Hemofarm Stada after a players’ brawl in game two was followed by a Hemofarm forfeit of game three.

Slovakia: Though Handlova players ended up taking most of the league’s individual honors for 2009-10, they were swept in the semifinals by Nitra, who in turn lost to Pezinok in the championship series.

Slovenia: In the homeland of the Dragon and the Machine, Krka beat reigning champions Union Olimpija 74-66 in Game 2 of the Slovenian League finals and the best-of-five series is now tied at one game apiece.

Spain: The top four teams in the ACB advanced to the semifinals, with all but Real Madrid managing two-game sweeps. The semifinal matchups pit FC Barcelona against Unicaja, while red-hot Baskonia gets Madrid. The finals begin on either June 5 or June 10, depending on earlier results.

Sweden: Norrköping defeated Plannja in the Ligan final series, three games to one.

Switzerland:

Turkey: Fenerbahçe Ülker tore apart Efes Pilsen at home in game six, 76-51, to take the Turkish Basketball League title. Now the only question is whether this represents the final game Efes Pilsen as-we-know-it will ever play…

Ukraine: No. 6 seed Azovmash Mariupol was crowned champion in Ukraine on Monday after outlasting top dog Budivelnyk Kiev in five games for the title. Azovmash was just 15-11 in the regular season, while Budivelnyk Kiev had gone 24-2.

United Kingdom: The Everton Tigers beat the Glasgow Rocks, 80-72, to take the BBL Championship title. The Newcastle Eagles had won the British Basketball League regular season title but lost to Everton along the way in the playoffs.

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