No longer the bridesmaids, Efes make Euroleague final
After more than two decades of being reminded time and again that they just didn’t belong competing for the big titles, Anadolu Efes bullied their way past Fenerbahce in the Fernando Buesa Arena with a dominant display to make a maiden Euroleague final. Emmet Ryan was on the scene When you control the tempo, when […]
2019 Euroleague Final Four primer
It’s the culmination of the European basketball season and it’s all happening in Vitoria-Gasteiz. CSKA Moscow, Efes, Fenerbahce, and Real Madrid, will all enter the Fernando Buesa Arena but only one will leave as the 2019 Euroleague champions. Emmet Ryan breaks down all you need to know before the action tips off on Friday The […]
Derby delight as Badalona put one foot in the playoffs
Laprovittola delivered a gem of a game as Badalona controlled the derby to all but guarantee their spot in the ACB playoffs. Emmet Ryan fluked his way into picking the most important game in Pavello Olimpic in years for this trip and took it all in Derby day, or Derbi day rather, between 8th and […]
Valencia add to a miserable week for Barcelona
The first half was bad basketball. The third quarter was mostly good basketball. The fourth was good bad basketball. Emmet Ryan almost fell asleep in Palau Blaugrana but eventually got a hot mess to enjoy as the BiE tour saw Barcelona fall to Valencia. The bad basketball was however a fine excuse to go off […]
Real romp past Estudiantes as derby day brings back memories
Ah you’ve just got to love the simplicity of European team anthems. especially when they seem totally alien to the backdrop. ¡Hala Madrid! by Jose De Aguilar, leading right into the more typical tune for a modern arena, Stop the Rock by Apollo 440. This is what you get when you go to sport on […]
Punter balls out as Virtus Bologna take BCL title
Basket City is back baby. With victory in the 2019 Basketball Champions League (BCL), Virtus Bologna ended a 10 year drought of major honours as they ensured another banner would be raised in PalaDozza. Emmet Ryan watched it all in the Sportpaleis in Antwerp Kevin Punter came here to play and the well-traveled man delivered […]
What you need to know about the Basketball Champions League final
It all comes down to this, Virtus Bologna vs Tenerife for one of the biggest prizes in European basketball. Rather than just do a straight preview, Emmet Ryan has a primer for those unfamiliar with the Basketball Champions League (BCL) or indeed the teams After two lopsided encounters in the semi-finals on Friday, both Virtus […]
Tenerife tame the Giants to progress in Antwerp
The crowd came, they brought the noise, they set a record, and they had reason for hope, but the young Antwerp Giants simply couldn’t overcome a canny Tenerife side in the Basketball Champions League Final Four. Emmet Ryan watched the clock strike midnight on Cinderellaujgm This was not an aesthetically pleasing game of basketball. Nor […]
Virtus victorious over blunderous Bamberg
On the one hand there was a former European power looking to show it really was on the way back. On the other, there was a team that had reigned supreme in its homeland and now sought a first European final. It should have been a cracker, instead dire shooting from Brose Bamberg ensured that […]
I don’t feel like writing about basketball today
With the death of journalist Lyra McKee at the hands of so-called dissident Republicans, Emmet Ryan reflects on a few days he’d rather forget but knows it’s important not to We buried a friend today. An early train up to Belfast to grab one of the last seats at the back of the church a […]
A Look at the 2019-2020 Tennessee Basketball Schedule
Despite not going through its best period, Tennessee basketball is moving on and getting ready for the 2019-2020 season. Jordan Bone and Grant Williams are still expected to take some decisions soon, but thankfully, there are still things we know about the schedule of Tennessee basketball. Before you engage in some online sports betting on […]
Euroleague Playoff Preview
The playoffs are here and Euroleague has put together a couple of familiar pairings, one way too familiar, as 8 teams battle it out for a trip to the Final Four. Emmet Ryan breaks down the pairings For any of you who somehow have come across this piece and don’t know who is playing who […]