National Leagues 374
League preview – VTB League – Another gong for Milos
The second of BallinEurope’s league previews looks at the VTB United League and doesn’t even bother to ask if anyone can challenge CSKA Moscow this season Last year’s VTB League looked really promising in terms of competitive depth. Khimki had made some big name signings and had a couple of results early on, both in […]
League preview – Ireland: What’s in a name?
The first of BallinEurope’s league previews stays close to home with Ireland expanding and rebranding for 2016/17 It’s a big time of change in Irish basketball. The national teams returned in the summer, with the men coming fourth at the European Small Countries Championship and the women earning the silver medal. While the women still […]
Replace this man
No not me, I’m not going anywhere, but if you want to work in basketball you should really consider another role that has just opened up Over the past couple of years, you may have noticed a bit more of a buzz around Irish basketball. Naturally, this corner has played its part, along with a […]
Did nobody check the calendar?
Bold, foolhardy, or just plain foolish? Emmet Ryan is perplexed by the decisions of leagues in Italy and Spain to go up against Euro 2016 with two of their biggest games of the season While Olimpia Milano claimed the Serie A title with a comeback win in Game 6 against Reggio Emilia, the Italian national […]
Emphatic Fenerbahce finish on a high
Fenerbahce needed to win the BSL title badly after their heartbreak in Berlin. Emmet Ryan writes that the manner of their triumph was the perfect climax to a big season Let’s all take in some context here. 14 months ago Fenerbahce had never even made it to a Final Four in Euroleague while no Turkish […]
Majestic Miller turns Bamberg into Sweep City
Darius Miller was unsurprisingly named Finals MVP as Brose Baskets Bamberg completed a 3-0 sweep of Ulm to record a perfect 9-0 record in the playoffs and claim the German title, writes Emmet Ryan It was always expected. Once Ulm failed to record a home win on Wednesday, it was going to require something extraordinary […]
And the band played on for Bourousis
Baskonia’s thrilling season ended limply and trophyless on Friday night but their fans recognised the ride, writes Emmet Ryan The season in Spain promised so much carnage. Valencia had its ridiculous unbeaten run to start the year that was ended by, of all teams, Limoges. Unicaja had moments where up until injuries came a knocking […]
Smoked beer and basketball, a Bamberg journey
Emmet Ryan hopped on a train to experience what Freak City was like when it was in the mood to become Sweep City. This is how BallinEurope experienced Bamberg on the weekend of Game 1 of the Bundesliga finals Right off the train there was no doubting what the big show in town was this […]
Fenerbahce are ready for their close-up
On the eve of the BSL Finals in Turkey, Emmet Ryan examines two clubs at different points in the road with Fenerbahce and Anadolu Efes having radically different motivations to end the season on a high Efes having home advantage in this series will have easily caught those who aren’t regular followers of the BSL […]
Colbert and Boone claim Irish MVP titles
The Irish basketball end of season awards have been announced with Lehmon Colbert of UCC Demons and Jazmen Boone of WIT Wildcats taking the top honours Fresh off claiming a second straight league title as well as the Champions Trophy with C&S UCC Demons, Lehmon Colbert has been named the MVP of the Irish men’s […]
Diamantidis goes down like a champion
The end came for Dimitris Diamantidis last night in the OAKA. Emmet Ryan writes how the way in which his career was a perfect send off for the Panathinaikos legend Going out on top is wildly over-rated. With champions, people who have consistently got the big one over the course of their career, it leaves […]
Bamberg slaughter Bayern to complete sweep
The Bavarian derby in the post-season ended in a beat-down as Brose Baskets Bamberg demolished FC Bayern to complete a 3-0 sweep and progress to the Bundesliga finals. Emmet Ryan looks back on a big-time whupping The warning signs were there in Game 2 when Bamberg looked far too comfortable coming back to take what […]