May 2015 33
Reggie Redding erupts as Alba go 2-1 up on Bayern
It was an offensive feast in Berlin as Alba Berlin took the 101-88 win in Game 3 to put Bayern Munich on the brink of elimination in the Bundesliga semi-finals. This game was an insult to defence. Alba may not be the most D-focused team at Euroleague level but in the Bundesliga, you expect them […]
Fenerbahce stunned at home after another shocking first half
Bobby Dixon was the hero for Pinar Karsiyaka in Istanbul but Fenerbahce Ulker allowed old problems to get in their way as they were stunned 96-97 at home in Game 1 of the Turkish League semi-finals. It’s almost best to go in reverse order here. Karsiyaka won thanks to a fortuitous off-ball foul late in […]
All Malcolm Delaney does is win championships
At Virginia Tech, Malcolm Delaney was a star. In Europe, no matter what jersey he wears, Malcolm Delaney just can’t stop being a champion Back at the Euroleague Final Four, it all seemed like a gag. Sitting in a bar after the semi-finals, with a few beers imbibed, the rest of the season for the […]
The next step
The Euroleague final is almost a distant memory despite taking place just 10 days ago but we’ve just entered one of the most interesting phases of the year for what happens next season across the board in basketball, writes Emmet Ryan The week in Madrid was fun and it’s easy to get lost in the […]
Trying to understand Barcelona’s big plans for the New Palau
Earlier today FC Barcelona unveiled their plans for the new Palau Blaugrana. It’s a massive expansion from the existing structure and Emmet Ryan is trying to understand why. That horribly small image at the top is the first look at Barcelona’s proposed new Palau Blaugrana. The redevelopment is part of the Espai Barca programme, one […]
Draft Profile: Mario Hezonja
With the 2015 NBA Draft just a few weeks away, BallinEurope’s Sam Chadwick is breaking down the Europeans in contention to hear their names called on 25 June. First up it’s Mario Hezonja of Croatia and FC Barcelona. Vital Stats: Position: Shooting Guard/Small Forward Height: 1.98m Date of birth: 25/Feb/1995 Country: Croatia Current club: FC […]
So a dude dropped his condoms
In his final drunkventure from Madrid, Emmet Ryan reports on everything that happened at and around the Euroleague championship game. It’s the freaking myth of Spanoulis man. Real could have been up 20 with 2 minutes to go (yes, I am aware they won by 19) and you still wouldn’t have thought they were safe. […]
Real Madrid end 20 year famine to win Euroleague title
Real Madrid survived a third quarter charge by Olympiacos and shut down Vassilis Spanoulis to end a 20 year wait and win the Euroleague title for 2014/15. Emmet Ryan reports from the Barclaycard Centre. Whatever amount of Real and Olympiacos fans were in the house on Friday, their numbers had clearly surged for this one. […]
CSKA win the third place game
It’s the game nobody wants to play in and few want to watch. CSKA looked well on course for a blowout but a Fener rally in the second half made for a surprisingly exciting finish. The third place game got off to an uninspired start, CSKA went up 12-0 before Fenerbahce got off the mark. […]
Aranitovic shines but Real hang on to win Adidas NGT
An impressive crowd was on hand to watch the best young players in Europe do battle as Real Madrid beat Crvena Zvezda 73-70 in a thoroughly entertaining final of the Adidas NGT. A year ago this was a slaughter. The same two teams met in the final in Milano, when it was called the NIJT, […]
So now the end is near
Real Madrid face Olympiacos in the Euroleague final later today. Two teams steeped in history meet in a game that will dominated by contemporary narrative. It’s been 20 long years since Real Madrid were kings of Europe. They had their near misses along the way but nothing can hurt quite like the last two years. […]
We fixed everything
After taking it relatively easy the last two nights, BiE’s editor was fearlessly back on the beer on Saturday at the Euroleague Final Four. The best bar conversations are the ones where you solve all the problems on one broad issue. Tonight we fixed European and NCAA basketball, you’re welcome. The day however began with […]