### Maccabi, CSKA advance to championship game

The semifinals at the Community of Madrid Sports Palace in Madrid were truly exciting. In the first game, Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv rallied from an 18-point deficit to beat Montepaschi Siena 85-92. Spirited play from Alex Garcia and team captain Derrick Sharp, who both scored season-highs off the bench, led an effort of 70 points from reserves. Garcia paced Maccabi with 19 points and Sharp scored 17. Terrell McIntyre led Montepaschi with 25 points in defeat.

In the other semifinal, CSKA edged Tau 79-83 to reach the championship game. Theo Papaloukas led a 0-10 run that gave CSKA the lead for good and Ramunas Siskauskas, that season’s EuroLeague MVP, iced the game from the foul line, finishing the night with 16 points as one of five CSKA scorers in double figures.

### CSKA lifts its 6th EuroLeague title

CSKA bested Maccabi 77-91 in the championship game to claim its sixth EuroLeague title. A 0-10 run in the fourth quarter sealed the outcome. Trajan Langdon shined with 21 points, 7 rebounds and a PIR of 33 to earn 2008 Final Four MVP honors. Head coach Ettore Messina won his fourth EuroLeague title and second with a CSKA team that allowed the fewest points (67.6 ppg.) in the league that season.

### [Game Info](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2007-08/maccabi-elite-tel-aviv-cska-moscow/E2007/231/)

Final Four 2008 Madrid

### CSKA, Panathinaikos shine on defense in semis

Defense was the name of the game on semifinal Friday at OAKA in the Greek capital. CSKA Moscow held Unicaja Malaga to just 50 points in the early game, in which Theo Papaloukas shined with 11 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 5 steals. The game was tied at 44-44 through three quarters before CSKA pulled away to win 62-50.

Then Panathinaikos Athens bested Tau Ceramica Baskonia 67-53 led by Mike Batiste's 15 points and 12 rebounds. Sani Becirovic also scored 15 for the winners. Panathinaikos led from start to finish to the delight of thousands of Greens’ fans in the sold-out stands as Panathinaikos returned to the EuroLeague final for the first time since winning the 2002 title in Bologna, Italy.

### Greens crown themselves at home

Panathinaikos held off a late CSKA rally to win 93-91 in Sunday’s championship game. Final Four MVP Dimitris Diamantidis was one of six Panathinaikos players to score in double digits with 15 points. Ramunas Siskauskas shined with 20 points and 5 assists and Dejan Tomasevic added 16 points in a victory.

The title was the sixth of his career – and third with Panathinaikos – for Coach Zeljko Obradovic, who was also chosen as that season's Euroleague Basketball Alexander Gomelskiy Coach of the Year. The Greens were a deep and balanced team in which 13 players started at least once in the EuroLeague and eight players averaged at least 7.5 points per game. Veteran Fragiskos Alvertis won his fifth EuroLeague crown.

### [Game Info](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2006-07/panathinaikos-athens-cska-moscow/E2006/230/)

Final Four 2007 Athens

### Maccabi advances to third straight championship game

The 2006 Final Four was the first one played in a city without a EuroLeague team, Prague in the Czech Republic. The Final Four opened with a rematch of the previous season's championship game between Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv and Tau Ceramica in the first semifinal. Maceo Baston scored 20 points and set a Final-Four record with 6 blocked shots to lead Maccabi to an 85-70 victory and its third straight championship game. EuroLeague MVP Anthony Parker scored 19 points for the winners.

The second semifinal also featured a dominant effort by a power forward; Matjaz Smodis posted 17 points and 12 rebounds as CSKA Moscow outlasted FC Barcelona 75-84. Theo Papaloukas and J.R. Holden led the winners each with 19 points each, helping CSKA to win the game and end a string of three semifinals losses in a row since 2003. Shammond Williams led Barcelona with 24 points.

### CSKA ends title drought

The highly-anticipated championship-game showdown saw CSKA Moscow survive 73-69 over two-time defending champ Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv at Sazka Arena in Prague, Czech Republic. It was CSKA's first EuroLeague crown in 35 years and fifth overall.

Theodoros Papaloukas scored 18 points and dished 7 assists to lead the winners and earn Final Four MVP honors. David Vanterpool added 16 points while Matjaz Smodis had 12 for CSKA led by Coach Ettore Messina, who won the EuroLeague title in his first year with the club, after having won twice with Virtus Bologna. Messina molded the team into an elite defensive unit that won 13 of its final games of the season.

Will Solomon had 20 points for Maccabi, which lost the chance to become the third team in Euroleague history to win three straight titles, a feat that still belongs only to ASK Riga and Jugoplastika Split.

### [Game Info](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2005-06/cska-moscow-maccabi-elite-tel-aviv/E2005/231/)

Final Four 2006 Prague

### Tau stuns host CSKA in semis

The 2005 Final Four was held in the Russian capital and CSKA Moscow put together a super team with the sole aim of celebrating in front of its fans in May. As a result, CSKA steamrolled the competition for a perfect record in the 14-game regular season, finished the Top 16 with 5-1 record and swept its best-of-three playoff series against Ulker. However, the season-long collision course that Maccabi Tel Aviv and CSKA were on was derailed by Tau Ceramica, which stunned CSKA 78-85 in the second semifinal at Olympiysky Arena. Arvydas Macijauskas led the winners with 23 points, including a shot-clock beating three-pointer that sealed the outcome down the stretch. Maccabi held up its end when Derrick Sharp came off the bench to lead six Maccabi scorers in double figures with 20 points in a 91-82 victory over Panathinaikos Athens.

### Maccabi goes back-to-back

In May 2005, Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv wrote a brilliant new page in European basketball history by defeating Tau Ceramica 90-78 in the championship game in front of a sellout crowd of 13,500 at Olympiyski Arena in Moscow. Sarunas Jasikevicius dominated with 22 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists to earn Final Four MVP honors. Maccabi led 62-60 late in the third quarter when Jasikevicius led a 7-0 run that put the Israeli champs in control for good. Maceo Baston added 18 points, Nestoras Kommatos scored 13 points off the bench and Nikola Vujcic had 13 points plus 7 assists as Maccabi became the first team since Split in 1991 to repeat as EuroLeague champion.

In the third-place game, Panathinaikos mounted one of the biggest comebacks in Final Four history by rallying from a 22-point deficit to edge CSKA Moscow 91-94 in double overtime, as Mike Batiste scored 28 points.

### [Game Info](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2004-05/maccabi-elite-tel-aviv-tau-ceramica-vitoria-gasteiz/E2004/229/)

Final Four 2005 Moscow

### Skipper, Maccabi prevail over semifinals challengers

Skipper Bologna needed overtime before getting past Italian League rival Montepaschi Siena in the first semifinal in Tel Aviv, Israel. It was a cat-and-mouse game for much of regulation, with Bologna leading by 9 at halftime and 13 at one point in the third quarter, but Montepaschi always came back and eventually forced overtime on Michailis Kakiouzis’s three-pointer with 11.2 seconds to go. Carlos Delfino's free throw with 11.6 seconds left in overtime broke a tie and crowned him the hero. Delfino finished with 27 points, one of six Skipper scorers in double figures.

Host Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv outlasted CSKA Moscow 93-85 in the nightcap. Maccabi started sluggishly and trailed by 11 points at one point, but turned it around to get within 1 at halftime and pull away in the second half as the fans in yellow rocked on. Anthony Parker shined with 27 points, while Sarunas Jasikevicius tallied 18 points and 6 assists. Marcus Brown had 23 points and 6 assists in the loss.

### Maccabi shatters records in claiming the crown

One of the EuroLeague's greatest offenses was on full display in the 2004 championship game in Tel Aviv, Israel, where host Maccabi produced a record-setting spectacle in routing Skipper Bologna 118-74. From the opening tip, Maccabi ruled its home floor at Nokia Arena, soaring to a 25-point halftime lead and never looking back. It marked the fourth time that Maccabi lifted a cup as a continental champion and, in winning this crown, Maccabi set or tied 11 records, including the most points scored in a EuroLeague championship game, best shooting and largest margin of victory.

Anthony Parker was named Final Four MVP after an almost flawless night scoring 21 points and missing only 2 shots from the field. David Bluthenthal netted 20 in just 16 minutes, Sarunas Jasikevicius scored 18 points in 17 minutes, and Tal Burstein shined with 17 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists.

### [Game Info](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2003-04/maccabi-elite-tel-aviv-skipper-fortitudo-bologna/E2003/220/)

Final Four 2004 Tel Aviv

### Montepaschi, Barcelona triumph in semis

Montepaschi Siena and Benetton Treviso faced each other in an all-Italian semifinal at Palau Sant Jordi, in which Manuchar Markoishvili became the still-youngest player ever to appear in a Final Four, at 16 years, 5 months and 21 days old. It all came down to the final minute, in which Vrbica Stefanovic gave Montepaschi a 62-60 lead. Massimo Bulleri put Benetton ahead with a three-pointer and soon added free throws to complete the final score, 62-65. Jorge Garbajosa led Benetton with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

In the second semifinal, FC Barcelona topped CSKA Moscow 76-71. In a close affair, Juan Carlos Navarro provided the biggest highlight of the game with a fastbreak layup off a steal that sealed the outcome with 22 seconds to go. Barcelona won behind 21 points from Gregor Fucka and 17 from Dejan Bodiroga, who made clutch free throws in the closing seconds to send the home fans into ecstasy.

### Barca breaks through for first title

FC Barcelona won its first-ever EuroLeague title after defeating Benetton Treviso 76-65 in the championship game at Palau Sant Jordi, almost 20 years after the first of five previous losing attempts in the title-decider. A trio of three-pointers midway through the final quarter - from Sarunas Jasikevicius, Juan Carlos Navarro and Dejan Bodiroga - broke open a 3-point game to give Barca an 11-point lead with 90 seconds left. Bodiroga had 20 points and became the first player to get back-to-back Final Four MVP awards with different teams. Gregor Fucka added 17 points. Tyus Edney led Benetton with 16. Barcelona head coach Svetislav Pesic became the third person to win the EuroLeague as player and coach, after Armenak Alachachan and Lolo Sainz.

"The semis and the final, with 16,000 fans or more, it was a demonstration of great organization and the beautiful event that is the Final Four," MVP Bodiroga said. "To win it is a precious thing, a title with weight behind it."

### [Game Info](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2002-03/fc-barcelona-benetton-treviso/E2002/220/)

Final Four 2003 Barcelona

### Panathinaikos, Kinder outlast rivals in semis

In the first EuroLeague Final Four this century in Bologna, Italy, Panathinaikos Athens and Kinder Bologna earned the right to play in the championship game after semifinals victories. Panathinaikos defeated Maccabi Tel Aviv in the first game 83-75. The Greens rode the hot hand of Dejan Bodiroga, who gave Panathinaikos control of a back-and-forth battle early in the fourth quarter and finished with 27 points and 9 rebounds. Big men Darryl Middleton and Lazaros Papadopoulos combined for 24 points, while Maccabi's top scorer was Tal Burstein with 16 points off the bench.

Defending champion Kinder advanced to the title game after holding off Italian League rival Benetton Treviso 82-90 at home at PalaMalaguti. Kinder used a 10-0 run to open the fourth quarter and snap a 63-63 tie. Marko Jaric paced the winners with 18 points, David Andersen added 15 points and Manu Ginobili and Sani Becirovic scored 14 each. Tyus Edney and Charlie Bell paced Benetton with 19 points apiece.

### Bodiroga, Kutluay lead Greens to glory

Panathinaikos became the first - and to date only – team to win a EuroLeague championship game on its opponents' home floor when it erased a 14-point second-quarter deficit to beat Kinder Bologna 83-89. After a second-quarter burst that gave rise to euphoria among the Kinder fans, Panathinaikos worked its way back into the game. Center Lazaros Papadopoulos was the catalyst of the comeback, but in the second half veterans Dejan Bodiroga and Ibrahim Kutluay took over. Kutluay scored 22 points for Panathinaikos, while Bodiroga, voted Final Four MVP, had 21 and Papadopoulos 12 points in victory. For Kinder, Manu Ginobili netted 27 and Matjaz Smodis had 13 points.

### [Game Info](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2001-02/kinder-virtus-bologna-panathinaikos-athens/E2001/275/)

"Let me tell you that it wasn't easy to beat Kinder at home, and they have a great coach in Messina who has done impressive things this season and will continue to do so in the future," a prophetic Panathinaikos coach Zeljko Obradovic said after the championship game. "After winning my first Final Four with Partizan in 1992, my mentor, Aco Nikolic, told me, 'This will be the first you will win of many.' And all I thought was 'this guy is crazy!' I thought that that could not be repeated, but he was right. Nikolic is always right."

Final Four 2002 Bologna

 Final Four + Kaunas = Hoops Heaven 

The best weekend in world basketball comes to the country where the sport is known as a second religion when the [Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/final-four/) lands in Kaunas, Lithuania, from May 18 to 21. The most intense and competitive season imaginable will reach a crescendo over four action-packed days with a city devoted to basketball throwing a party for global visitors and a worldwide audience. The fun in the streets will only be matched by the passion inside the gleaming Zalgirio Arena. For basketball lovers, it will be nothing short of hoops heaven.

Final Four + Kaunas = Hoops Heaven

 Final Four + Kaunas = Hoops Heaven!

Lithuania's love affair with basketball is inextricably linked with the fate of the nation, which first gained independence in modern times at the conclusion of the First World War in 1918. That coincided with the global spread of basketball from its American origins, and the first recorded official game in Lithuania took place just over a century ago, in April of 1922, resulting in the Lithuanian Physical Education Union gaining an 8-6 victory over Kaunas.

Lithuania's basketball love affair began 100 years ago

Lithuania's love affair with basketball is inextricably linked with the fate of the nation, which first gained independence in modern times at the conclusion of the First World War in 1918. That coincided with the global spread of basketball from its American origins, and the first recorded official game in Lithuania took place just over a century ago, in April of 1922, resulting in the Lithuanian Physical Education Union gaining an 8-6 victory over Kaunas.

The sport's popularity initially exploded among both men and women. A national tournament was organized and a rule book was published by legendary pilot Steponas Darius, who later died in an attempt to make a non-stop flight from New York to Kaunas. 

Referees classes were also organised in a similar desire to regulate the fledgling sport, with the first intake of officials including one of the country's most important female sport pioneers, Elena Kubiliunaite-Garbaciauskiene.

Lithuanian national team at EuroBasket 1937

Basketball's growth in Lithuania received another significant boost in 1934 with the opening of the Physical Culture Palace in Kaunas. The indoor hall at the expensively constructed complex, which now serves as the main campus for the Lithuanian Sports University, was mainly intended for tennis but was quickly also found to be ideal for basketball, and served as a catalyst for a rapid growth in the sport's popularity.

Lithuania in its modern form was still a young nation, and the country's long-serving President Antanas Smetona was conscious of the need to develop a national identity. With that in mind, a World Lithuanian Congress was organized in 1935, aimed at promoting and celebrating the country's culture with the active inclusion of ethnic Lithuanians from all over the world.

Significantly, that included a sizeable Lithuanian-American community that already numbered an estimated 275,000 people following mass emigration in the late 19th century. Many of those new arrivals had settled around Chicago, whose community decided to fund a team of athletes to take part in the congress in Kaunas. The traveling group included some genuine stars of the basketball world, notably Notre Dame standout Moose Krause (born Edward Kriauciunas), his brother Feliksas, and the cerebral lawyer and baskeball coach Konstantinas Savickas.

Their input provided a significant and much-needed boost to the growing Lithuanian basketball scene. The need for improvement was obvious after an embarrassing 123-10 defeat to neighbouring Latvia, which was crowned inaugural European champion in the very first FIBA EuroBasket in 1935.

Savickas became the national coach and quickly made the team more competitive, with a far closer loss to Latvia – 31-10 – demonstrating the progress that had been made. Lithuania also applied to become a member of FIBA and was therefore eligible to take part in international tournaments, starting with the 1937 EuroBasket in Latvia.

Lithuania vs Hungary from EuroBasket 1939

The build-up to the tournament saw an earlier decision overturned and two Lithuanian-Americans selected for the team: Pranas Talzunas and Feliksas Kriauciunas, with the latter also appointed as player-coach. 

Expectations were not especially high – this was, after all, Lithuania's first ever international tournament – but confidence grew after the team won all three group games, overcoming Italy (22-20), Estonia (20-15) and Egypt (21-7) to reach the semifinals. Poland was duly dispatched 31-25, setting up a rematch with Italy for the title game.

And so on 7 May 1937, in Riga, Latvia, arguably the most important day of Lithuanian sporting history arrived. A tight first half saw Kriauciunas's team hold an 11-9 lead. A total of 12 points from tournament MVP Talzunas – reputed to be the first ever player to employ the hook shot – saw that advantage maintained through a nail-biting finale, with the game ending 24-23.

Lithuania EuroBasket 1939 with Pranas Lubinas is holding the Lithuanian tricolor.

Lithuania, a tiny country which had existed for less than two decades, was the new European champion, sparking a surge of national pride and a massive growth of public interest in basketball. That was further accelerated two years later when, as reigning champion, Lithuania was granted the right to host the 1939 EuroBasket. 

The 1939 event took place in the newly built Kaunas Sports Hall, and saw the host emphasise its pre-eminence as a new basketball superpower by retaining the title. The tournament took a simple league format and Lithuania was worthy winner after beating all seven other contestants with a starring role for another Lithuanian-American serving as player-coach, Frank John Lubin (born Pranas Jonas Lubinas), who had previously won a gold medal representing the United States in the 1936 Olympic Games.

Within four years of losing by more than 100 points to Latvia, now Lithuania was back-to-back European champion. And basketball was forever established as a key symbol of national pride.