1997–98 FIBA EuroCup

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
1997–98 FIBA EuroCup
LeagueFIBA EuroCup
SportBasketball
Final
ChampionsLithuania Žalgiris
  Runners-upItaly Stefanel Milano
Finals MVPLithuania Saulius Štombergas
FIBA EuroCup seasons

The 1997–98 FIBA EuroCup was the thirty-second edition of FIBA's 2nd-tier level European-wide professional club basketball competition. it occurred between September 16, 1997, and April 14, 1998. The final was held at Pionir Hall, Belgrade, Yugoslavia. In the final, Žalgiris defeated Stefanel Milano, in front of 5,000 spectators.

Competition system

  • 48 teams (national domestic cup champions, plus the best qualified teams from the most important European national domestic leagues), entered a preliminary group stage, divided into eight groups of six teams each, and played a round-robin. The final standings were based on individual wins and defeats. In the case of a tie between two or more teams, after the group stage, the following criteria were used to decide the final classification: 1) number of wins in one-to-one games between the teams; 2) basket average between the teams; 3) general basket average within the group.
  • The top four teams from each group qualified for a 1/16 Final Playoff (X-pairings, home and away games), where the winners advanced further to 1/8 Finals, 1/4 Finals, and 1/2 Final.
  • The Final was played at a predetermined venue.

Country ranking

For the 1997–1998 FIBA EuroCup, the countries are allocated places according to their place on the FIBA country rankings, which takes into account their performance in European competitions from 1994–95 to 1996–97.[1]

Country ranking for 1997–1998 FIBA EuroCup
Rank Country Points Teams Notes
1  Spain 279.667 2
2  Greece 275.000
3  Italy 190.833
4  France 117.500
5  Turkey 96.667
6  Russia 70.542
7  Germany 55.389
8  Croatia 50.833
9  Israel 43.048
10  Slovenia 38.833
11  Yugoslavia 25.000
12  Portugal 23.071
13  Belgium 22.500
14  Poland 21.206
15  Lithuania 19.416
16  Ukraine 15.762
17  Hungary 9.667 1 +1, Marc-Kormend got wild card
18  Czech Republic 7.139 +1, USK Erpet Praha got wild card
19  Slovakia 6.555
Rank Country Points Teams Notes
20  Macedonia 6.111 1 +1, MZT got wild card
21  Austria 5.445
22  Sweden 5.333
23  Cyprus 4.333
24  England 4.167
25  Latvia 3.722
26  Switzerland 3.083 -1, Fribourg Olympic withdrew
27  Bulgaria 2.694 -1, Slavia Sofia withdrew
28  Romania 2.389 -1, Dinamo București withdrew
29  Finland 1.861
30  Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.778
31  Estonia 1.500
32  Netherlands 1.500
33  Georgia 1.500 0
34  Luxembourg 1.444
35  Albania 1.361
36  Denmark 0.167
37  Moldova 0.111
38  Belarus 0.056

Team allocation

The labels in the parentheses show how each team qualified for the place of its starting round:

  • 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc.: League position after eventual Playoffs
  • CW: Cup winners
  • WC: Wild card
Regular season
Spain Festina Joventut (4th) Germany Bayer 04 Leverkusen (3rd) Belgium Spirou (1st) North Macedonia Rabotnički (1st)
Spain Cáceres (10th) Germany Tatami Rhöndorf (5th) Belgium Sunair Oostende (CW) North Macedonia MZT Aerodrom (WC)
Greece Panathinaikos (5th) Croatia Zagreb (3rd) Poland Mazowzanka (1st) Slovakia Slovakofarma Pezinok (1st)
Greece Apollon Achaia Clauss (7th) Croatia Zrinjevac (5th) Poland Śląsk Wrocław (CW) Austria SÜBA Sankt Pölten (1st)
Italy Stefanel Milano (5th) Israel Maccabi Ironi Ra`anana (3rd) Lithuania Žalgiris (1st) Sweden Plannja (1st)
Italy Polti Cantù (8th) Israel Hapoel Eilat (4th) Lithuania Žemaitijos Lokiai (2nd) Cyprus Keravnos (1st)
France ASVEL (CW) Slovenia Kovinotehna Savinjska Polzela (2nd) Ukraine Budivelnyk (1st) England London Towers (1st)
France Le Mans (5th) Slovenia Pivovarna Laško (4th) Ukraine BIPA-Moda Odesa (2nd) Latvia ASK Brocēni (1st)
Turkey Tofaş (4th) Federal Republic of Yugoslavia FMP Železnik (CW) Hungary Danone-Honvéd (1st) Finland Torpan Pojat (1st)
Turkey Fenerbahçe (5th) Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Beobanka (3rd) Hungary Marc-Körmend (WC) Bosnia and Herzegovina Sloboda Dita (1st)
Russia Avtodor Saratov (2nd) Portugal Oliveirense (2nd) Czech Republic ICEC Opava (1st) Estonia Kalev (2nd)
Russia Samara (3rd) Portugal Portugal Telecom (3rd) Czech Republic USK Erpet Praha (WC) Netherlands Libertel Dolphins EBBC (1st)


Preliminary group stage

Key to colors
     Qualified to Round of 32
     Eliminated

Group A

Team Pld Pts W L PF PA PD
1. Spain Festina Joventut 10 19 9 1 884 782 +102
2. Turkey Tofaş 10 17 7 3 793 698 +95
3. Ukraine BIPA-Moda Odesa 10 17 7 3 731 644 +87
4. Finland Torpan Pojat 10 15 5 5 738 735 +3
5. Lithuania Žemaitijos Lokiai 10 12 2 8 734 854 −120
6. North Macedonia Rabotnički 10 10 0 10 653 820 −167

Group B

Team Pld Pts W L PF PA PD
1. France Le Mans 10 17 7 3 794 792 +2
2. Poland Śląsk Wrocław 10 16 6 4 760 751 +9
3. Slovenia Pivovarna Laško 10 16 6 4 800 783 +17
4. Turkey Fenerbahçe 10 15 5 5 783 763 +20
5. Latvia ASK Brocēni 10 15 5 5 879 832 +47
6. Czech Republic ICEC Opava 10 11 1 9 745 840 −95

Group C

Team Pld Pts W L PF PA PD
1. Lithuania Žalgiris 10 17 7 3 777 672 +105
2. France ASVEL 10 17 7 3 677 642 +35
3. Poland Mazowzanka 10 16 6 4 827 790 +37
4. Croatia Zagreb 10 16 6 4 776 704 +72
5. Estonia Kalev 10 14 4 6 690 737 −47
6. North Macedonia MZT Aerodrom 10 10 0 10 634 836 −202

Group D

Team Pld Pts W L PF PA PD
1. Spain Cáceres 10 16 6 4 836 767 +69
2. Russia Samara 10 16 6 4 801 774 +27
3. Federal Republic of Yugoslavia FMP Železnik 10 16 6 4 793 719 +74
4. Cyprus Keravnos 10 15 5 5 681 743 −62
5. Portugal Oliveirense 10 14 4 6 713 787 −74
6. Sweden Plannja 10 13 3 7 819 853 −34

Group E

Team Pld Pts W L PF PA PD
1. Italy Stefanel Milano 10 18 8 2 840 729 +111
2. Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Beobanka 10 17 7 3 784 716 +68
3. Israel Hapoel Eilat 10 17 7 3 805 787 +18
4. Germany Tatami Rhöndorf 10 15 5 5 765 814 −49
5. Hungary Danone-Honvéd 10 12 2 8 721 779 −58
6. England London Towers 10 11 1 9 692 782 −90

Group F

Team Pld Pts W L PF PA PD
1. Belgium Spirou 10 18 8 2 855 710 +145
2. Greece Apollon Patras 10 17 7 3 910 795 +115
3. Croatia Zrinjevac 10 16 6 4 836 822 +14
4. Slovenia Kovinotehna Savinjska Polzela 10 15 5 5 859 842 +17
5. Netherlands Libertel Dolphins EBBC 10 13 3 7 761 889 −128
6. Czech Republic USK Erpet Praha 10 11 1 9 730 893 −163

Group G

Team Pld Pts W L PF PA PD
1. Italy Polti Cantù 10 19 9 1 916 762 +154
2. Belgium Sunair Oostende 10 17 7 3 860 820 +40
3. Hungary Marc-Körmend 10 16 6 4 822 807 +15
4. Germany Bayer 04 Leverkusen 10 15 5 5 820 884 −64
5. Portugal Portugal Telecom 10 13 3 7 863 873 −10
6. Bosnia and Herzegovina Sloboda Dita 10 10 0 10 735 870 −135

Group H

Team Pld Pts W L PF PA PD
1. Greece Panathinaikos 10 19 9 1 865 645 +220
2. Russia Avtodor Saratov 10 18 8 2 879 834 +45
3. Israel Maccabi Ironi Ra`anana 10 15 5 5 778 784 −6
4. Slovakia Slovakofarma Pezinok 10 14 4 6 756 856 −100
5. Austria SÜBA Sankt Pölten 10 12 2 8 707 802 −95
6. Ukraine Budivelnyk 10 12 2 8 695 759 −64

Round of 32

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Fenerbahçe Turkey 150–162 Spain Festina Joventut 78–75 72–87
Pivovarna Laško Slovenia 157–170 Turkey Tofaş 79–85 78–85
BIPA-Moda Odesa Ukraine 143–171 Poland Śląsk Wrocław 74–84 69–87
Torpan Pojat Finland 144–131 France Le Mans 77–69 67–62
Keravnos Cyprus 101–130 Lithuania Žalgiris 61–57 40–73
FMP Železnik Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 136–145 France ASVEL 71–66 65–79
Mazowzanka Poland 150–164 Russia Samara 78–94 72–70
Zagreb Croatia 151–146 Spain Cáceres 98–63 53–83
Kovinotehna Savinjska Polzela Slovenia 111–168 Italy Stefanel Milano 56–98 55–70
Zrinjevac Croatia 114–119 Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Beobanka 59–59 55–60
Hapoel Eilat Israel 180–173 Greece Apollon Patras 101–84 79–89
Tatami Rhöndorf Germany 177–159 Belgium Spirou 83–77 94–82
Slovakofarma Pezinok Slovakia 154–166 Italy Polti Cantù 95–87 59–79
Maccabi Ironi Ra`anana Israel 155–156 Belgium Sunair Oostende 86–82 69–74
Marc-Körmend Hungary 159–184 Russia Avtodor Saratov 83–85 76–99
Bayer 04 Leverkusen Germany 135–169 Greece Panathinaikos 64–86 71–83

Round of 16

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
ASVEL France 164–152 Spain Festina Joventut 82–74 82–78
Samara Russia 127–125 Finland Torpan Pojat 77–74 50–51
Tofaş Turkey 131–133 Lithuania Žalgiris 66–62 65–71
Śląsk Wrocław Poland 142–131 Croatia Zagreb 76–60 66–71
Sunair Oostende Belgium 140–162 Italy Stefanel Milano 68–80 72–82
Avtodor Saratov Russia 160–126 Germany Tatami Rhöndorf 71–50 89–76
Beobanka Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 163–136 Italy Polti Cantù 88–58 75–78
Hapoel Eilat Israel 148–164 Greece Panathinaikos 80–78 68–86

Quarterfinals

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
ASVEL France 128–129 Italy Stefanel Milano 58–67 70–62
Avtodor Saratov Russia 181–175 Russia Samara 92–65 89–110
Žalgiris Lithuania 137–119 Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Beobanka 78–65 59–54
Panathinaikos Greece 143–119 Poland Śląsk Wrocław 82–58 61–61

Semifinals

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Panathinaikos Greece 138–144 Italy Stefanel Milano 77–58 61–86
Žalgiris Lithuania 159–151 Russia Avtodor Saratov 96–74 63–77

Final

April 14, Hala Pionir, Belgrade

Team 1  Score  Team 2
Žalgiris Lithuania 82–67 Italy Stefanel Milano
1997–98 FIBA EuroCup Champions
Lithuania
Žalgiris
1st title

Awards

FIBA Saporta Cup Finals MVP

References

  1. ^ "Linguasport – FIBA Country Ranking (B)". www.linguasport.com. Retrieved 2020-05-31.

External links