Longform 23
Zoc
Is this the end? Probably? Maybe? Possibly? The departure of Zeljko Obradovic from Partizan took on a life of its own. The most successful coach in European club basketball history, and one of the greatest in the history of the sport bar none, has stepped down. Emmet Ryan on a week, a life, and everything […]
Just 5 minutes more
A double round weekend in Ireland was crammed for Emmet Ryan. Yet, oddly, it also led him to reflect and ponder things. The great river that is self-employment has floods and droughts. It’s best not to get too caught up in metaphors if you want to deal with it. Two games. That’s what this weekend […]
The state of the Euroleague (and other basketball things) address
An old tradition of BallinEurope is renewed in Berlin. On the eve of the Euroleague Final Four, Emmet Ryan is back with his annual address covering the league’s growth, the FIBA relationship, expansion, and more basketball things. My fellow sportsball fans. It has been far too long since the annual eve of the Euroleague Final […]
Alba Berlin keep it lit while in a home away from home
The eyes of European basketball turn to Berlin in a few days for the Euroleague Final Four. Before all that, there’s the small matter of the city’s pride and joy Alba Berlin looking to go deep in the Basketball Bundesliga playoffs. Emmet Ryan took in the sights and sounds from the Max Schmeling Halle as […]
More than Puso: Where next for basketball in the Philippines?
It’s a nation steeped in basketball history but is its obsession with retaining its own identity a limitation? The 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup told us a lot about Gilas Pilipinas but can Philippines basketball be more than Puso? The 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup is now two weeks behind us. Japan and Indonesia played […]
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 […]
The way of the Warriors
The race was over, then it was alive again, then it was decided. Over the course of 2 games, starting 24 hours apart, the Irish Super League championship was decided in a combination of both the height of drama and the calm of a coronation. Emmet Ryan hit the road to take in all the, […]
Twas the night before the Euroleague Final Four
BallinEurope’s annual state of the Euroleague piece addresses the broader issues affecting the game and, as Emmet Ryan points out, what the league needs to think about next There’s an owner who calls the league CEO everything under the sun. The biggest star in the league is about to bolt for the NBA. The divide […]
Why not Puff?
Puff Summers was supposed to be a banker. He had the grades, he’d gone to a great school, and he was set for a steady and impressive career behind a desk. In his heart he knew he belonged on the court. This Saturday Summers plays in the Irish Cup final for the first time, a […]
A Saturday in Istanbul
As we reach the end of the second day of play in Group D of EuroBasket, Emmet Ryan brings you on a journey of how the tournament is being received in the massive city and the interaction with other parts of life and the rest of the competition. The key thing to bear in mind […]
Well, that went well
Ireland’s basketball history is littered with what might have, might have, might have…and yeah one more, might have beens. That changed over 10 days in Dublin as one golden generation got it all together to give basketball people in this country something to believe in and a tournament that raised the bar. Emmet Ryan looks […]
The IMG factor – The first step in Euroleague’s new era
This is the first full season and the influence of IMG over Euroleague is already more than obvious according to Emmet Ryan. In BiE’s sort-of annual state of the union style piece on Final Four week, we look at how the new look is more than just a change in format Gumption and talent were […]