National Leagues 372
List of European champions, 2011-12: First edition
BallinEurope is officially back from his post-Euroleague Final Four vacation (hey, you can’t blame BiE for enjoying Istanbul for a couple extra days after wall-to-wall b-ball reportage)! How to prove it? Well, here’s this year’s first traditional “List of European champions.” Below runs news on domestic and pan-European champions from across the Continent – from […]
CSKA Moscow takes VTB United League title; first in history-making triple crown?
Congratulations go out from BallinEurope to the 2011-12 VTB United League champions – to the surprise of few, CSKA Moscow. The Red Army’s 74-62 victory over Unics Kazan in a rematch of last year’s final represents not only its second VTB championship in three seasons of the league’s existence, but the first title in a […]
British Basketball League Wrap: Newcastle Eagles win Championship Trophy, lose in upset, set sights on Europe
BallinEurope’s man in the UK, Sam Chadwick, checks in from the ‘Isles to give us an update on hoops happenings there. With the playoff picture taking shape, much of the focus has been on the Newcastle Eagles – in just a week, this side has been crowned regular-season champs, suffered a wicked upset and, most […]
Oberwart Gunners capped: Austria to have fifth new champion in five years
With the Beko BBL in the homestretch of the regular season and the Austrian playoffs underway, BallinEurope’s man in Germany, David Hein, finds himself overdosing on basketball these days. Hein rounds up the latest events in the ÖBL tournament below, including the bouncing of yet another defending champion from contention… There will be another new […]
Hendrix, Maccabi Tel Aviv negotiations “are broken”; FC Barcelona, Real Madrid interested?
Wow, we’re really already talking about the 2012-13 free-agency period? And now that Maccabi is up two games to one on Panathinaikos in their playoff series they’re reading to sever ties with a key component? Apparently, both bylines may be true, as sports talent agency/advisory firm You First Sports announced last night that “Andy Miller, […]
The Italian Maccabi: Why Montepaschi Siena must win the Euroleague
With the Euroleague quarterfinals tournament beginning later this month, many are penciling in either CSKA Moscow or FC Barcelona as 2011-12 title holders. (Indeed, the odds at a representative sportsbook have the former at 4/5 and the latter at 5/2.) Meanwhile, relative dark horse Montepaschi Siena (running, with shortest odds, at 11/1) may be under […]
Serbian Cup final: Partizan Belgrade domination continues
Speaking of national cups, Serbia’s tournament also went down this weekend, with Partizan enjoying a 64-51 win over Red Star Belgrade. Win the win, the perpetual Euroleague side once again reasserted its supremacy back home and are on a title run longer than Montepaschi Siena’s. BallinEurope’s man in Serbia, Marko Savkovic, analyzes the keys to […]
Radnicki’s Scott and Simon: How two Americans are changing the game in Kragujevac
The hottest team in Europe right now (not named CSKA Moscow, that is)? BallinEurope figures Radnički Kragujevac could be in the discussion. After stumbling to a dismal 1-6 start in Adriatic League play, the recently reformed club has enjoyed a complete about-face and is clawing its way back up the ABA table, currently sitting in […]
Crisis at KK Hemofarm Vrsac: Coach resigns, sponsor pulls out, six players declared free agents
The ongoing financial crisis in Europe has claimed its first victim in the basketball world in 2012: KK Hemofarm Vrsac officials informed players Nikola Otašević, Alexei Nesovic, John Maras, Mladen Pantic, Marko Šutalu and Mladen Jeremic that they could now consider themselves free agents – though they’re reportedly welcome to stay aboard – as the […]
What every young player needs: Playing time
Even in these days of internationalism, certain constants remain in European basketball vis-à-vis player development. BallinEurope’s Marko Savkovic takes a brief look at the current situation in the countries of the former Yugoslavia, with particular reference to Partizan’s Danilo Andjusic and Nemanja Nedovic of Red Star Belgrade. Ask any coach what a young player needs […]
Coppa Italia preview: Can anyone stop Montepaschi Siena?
February will see Turin playing host to the Coppa Italia, a grueling four-day tournament featuring Italy’s top eight teams. With the matchups now determined, BallinEurope’s man in Italy, Enrico Cellini, provides a brief preview of the competition. The first half of Serie A season is over and the table is set for a little appetizer […]
Keith Langford and Richard Hendrix rocking, Rolling in the Deep
From the Destined To Go Viral Department comes this clip courtesy of Maccabi Tel Aviv’s official YouTube account which answers the question, “What do the guys do in their off-time, anyway?” Well, in the case of Keith Langford and teammate/keyboardist Richard “Jimi” Hendrix, it’s “two brothers from the South” bringing „something completely different for you […]