FIBA EuroChallenge

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EuroChallenge
Primary logo (2013–2015)[1]
FormerlyFIBA Europe League
(2003–2005)
FIBA EuroCup
(2005–2008)
SportBasketball
Founded2003
Ceased2015
Replaced byFIBA Europe Cup
MottoWe Are Basketball
No. of teams32
CountryFIBA Europe member associations
ContinentEurope FIBA Europe (Europe)
Last
champion(s)
France Nanterre
(1st title)
Most titles12 teams
(1 title each)
Level on pyramid3 (2004–15)
Promotion toEuroCup (finalists)
Official websiteEuroChallenge

FIBA EuroChallenge (called the FIBA Europe League in 2003–05, and FIBA EuroCup in 2005–08)[2] was the 3rd-tier continental club basketball competition in Europe, from 2003 to 2015. It was organized and run by FIBA Europe. It is not to be confused with the FIBA EuroCup Challenge – the defunct 4th-tier competition, which was also organized and run by FIBA Europe, played between 2002–03 and 2006–07. In 2015, FIBA dissolved the EuroChallenge, in order to start the Basketball Champions League (BCL) and FIBA Europe Cup (FEC), in order to extend opportunities outside the competitions organized by the Euroleague Basketball.[3]

History[edit]

The competition was created in 2003, following the defections of most of the top European basketball teams from the former FIBA SuproLeague, which heralded the formation of the new version of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, under the umbrella of Euroleague Basketball. FIBA was aiming to create a competition similar to the former Suproleague to rival the Euroleague. From the 2004–05 season and after FIBA sanctioned the Euroleague and the ULEB Cup, the EuroChallenge was considered to be the 3rd strongest international professional basketball competition for men's clubs in Europe, after both the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and the EuroCup (both of which fall under the supervision of Euroleague Basketball). Though, during the first two seasons of the competition's coexistence with the EuroCup, the EuroChallenge (under the name FIBA Europe League) was favored by Italian, Russian and Greek teams, making both competitions quite comparable in strength.

Since the 2007-08 and following am agreement between ULEB and FIBA the two EuroChallenge finalists were promoted to the next season's 2nd tier level, the EuroCup competition.

In 2015, FIBA Europe dissolved the EuroChallenge, to start a new self-anointed second-tier competition, called the Basketball Champions League (BCL), in an attempt to compete with the EuroCup.[4]

Final Fours[edit]

Year Final Semifinalists
Champion Score Second place Third place Score Fourth place
2003–04
Details
Russia
UNICS
87–63 Greece
Maroussi TIM
Israel
Hapoel Tel Aviv
112–104 Russia
Ural Great Perm
2004–05
Details
Russia
Dynamo Saint Petersburg
85–74 Ukraine
Kyiv
Russia
Khimki
86–79 Turkey
Fenerbahçe
2005–06
Details
Spain
DKV Joventut
88–63 Russia
Khimki
Ukraine
Kyiv
83–81 Russia
Dynamo Saint Petersburg
2006–07
Details
Spain
Akasvayu Girona
79–72 Ukraine
Azovmash
Italy
VidiVici Bologna
82–60 Spain
MMT Estudiantes
2007–08
Details
Latvia
Barons LMT
63–62 Belgium
Dexia Mons-Hainaut
Cyprus
Proteas EKA AEL
79–70 Estonia
Tartu Ülikool Rock
2008–09
Details
Italy
Virtus BolognaFiere
77–75 France
Cholet
Russia
Triumph Lyubertsy
94–82 Cyprus
Proteas EKA AEL
2009–10
Details
Germany
Göttingen
83–75 Russia
Krasnye Krylia
France
Chorale Roanne
86–80 Italy
Scavolini Spar Pesaro
2010–11
Details
Slovenia
Krka
83–77 Russia
Lokomotiv Kuban
Belgium
Telenet Oostende
94–92 Russia
Spartak Saint Petersburg
2011–12
Details
Turkey
Beşiktaş Milangaz
91–86 France
Élan Chalon
Russia
Triumph Lyubertsy
94–87 Hungary
Szolnoki Olaj
2012–13
Details
Russia
Krasnye Krylia
77–76 Turkey
Pinar Karşıyaka
Germany
EWE Baskets
84–76 France
Gravelines
2013–14
Details
Italy
Grissin Bon Reggio Emilia
79–65 Russia
Triumph Lyubertsy
Turkey
Gaziantep Royal Halı
87–75 (OT) Hungary
Szolnoki Olaj
2014–15
Details
France
JSF Nanterre
64–63 Turkey
Trabzonspor Medical Park
Romania
Energia Târgu Jiu
83–80 Germany
Fraport Skyliners

Finals/Final Four MVP award winners (2004–2015)[edit]

Season MVP
2003–04 Estonia Martin Müürsepp
2004–05 Russia Kelly McCarty
2005–06 Spain Rudy Fernández
2006–07 Slovenia Ariel McDonald
2007–08 Lithuania Giedrius Gustas
2008–09 United States Keith Langford
2009–10 Montenegro Taylor Rochestie
2010–11 Bosnia and Herzegovina Goran Ikonić
2011–12 United Kingdom Pops Mensah-Bonsu
2012–13 United States Tre Simmons
2013–14 Italy Andrea Cinciarini
2014–15 United States Jamal Shuler

Records and statistics[edit]

Performances by club[edit]

The 2013 EuroChallenge trophy, which was won by Krasnye Krylya.
Performance in the FIBA EuroChallenge by club
Club Won Runner-up Years won Years runner-up
Russia Krasnye Krylia Samara 1 1 2013 2010
France Nanterre 1 0 2015
Italy Pallacanestro Reggiana 1 0 2014
Turkey Beşiktaş 1 0 2012
Slovenia Krka Novo mesto 1 0 2011
Germany BG Göttingen 1 0 2010
Italy Virtus Bologna 1 0 2009
Latvia Barons LMT 1 0 2008
Spain Girona 1 0 2007
Spain Joventut Badalona 1 0 2006
Russia Dyanmo Saint Petersburg 1 0 2005
Russia UNICS Kazan 1 0 2004
Greece Maroussi 0 1 2004
Ukraine Kyiv 0 1 2005
Russia Khimki 0 1 2006
Ukraine Azovmash 0 1 2007
Belgium Dexia Mons-Hainaut 0 1 2008
France Cholet 0 1 2009
Russia Lokomotiv Kuban 0 1 2011
France Élan Chalon 0 1 2012
Turkey Pınar Karşıyaka 0 1 2013
Russia Triumph Lyubertsy 0 1 2014
Turkey Trabzonspor 0 1 2015
Total 12 12

Performances by country[edit]

Performance in the FIBA EuroChallenge by country
Country Won Runner-up Winning clubs Runners-up
Russia Russia 3 4 Krasnye Krylia Samara (1), BC Dynamo Saint Petersburg (1), UNICS Kazan (1) Krasnye Krylia Samara (1), Lokomotiv Kuban (1), BC Khimki (1), Triumph Lyubertsy (1)
Italy Italy 2 0 Virtus Bologna (1), Pallacanestro Reggiana (1)
Spain Spain 2 0 CB Girona (1), Joventut Badalona (1)
France France 1 2 JSF Nanterre (1) Élan Chalon (1), Cholet Basket (1)
Turkey Turkey 1 2 Beşiktaş (1) Pınar Karşıyaka (1), Trabzonspor (1)
Germany Germany 1 0 BG Göttingen (1)
Latvia Latvia 1 0 Barons LMT (1)
Slovenia Slovenia 1 0 KK Krka (1)
Ukraine Ukraine 0 2 BC Kyiv (1), BC Azovmash (1)
Greece Greece 0 1 Maroussi B.C. (1)
Belgium Belgium 0 1 Dexia Mons-Hainaut (1)
Total 12 12

Individual records and statistical leaders[edit]

All-Star Game[edit]

Winning rosters[edit]

FIBA Europe League[edit]

FIBA EuroCup[edit]

FIBA EuroChallenge[edit]

See also[edit]

References and notes[edit]

  1. ^ "EuroChallenge Logo Unveiled | FIBA Europe".
  2. ^ "ULEB, FIBA Europe announce new competitions names, formats – News – Welcome to Eurocup". Archived from the original on 2008-07-22. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  3. ^ "FIBA Europe Board pushes ahead with attractive club competitions model - FIBA.basketball". Archived from the original on March 10, 2018.
  4. ^ "FIBA Europe Board pushes ahead with attractive club competitions model - FIBA.basketball". Archived from the original on March 10, 2018.

External links[edit]