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 With a trophy case that includes at least one piece of hardware from each of the last five decades, there is no denying that Cibona Zagreb represents consistent success in European basketball. Tradition dictates that Cibona will come back strong. Since its first trophy, the 1969 Yugoslav Cup, Cibona has been in the hunt for glory in every league it has played. Cibona won a Korac Cup title in 1972, added a Cup Winners' Cup trophy in 1982, as well as three Yugoslav leagues and five Yugoslav Cup titles between 1980 and 1985. Few teams anywhere can match the success that Cibona had with the late Drazen Petrovic as its leader in the 1980s, backed by his brother Aleksandar and players like Mihovil Nakic, Zoran Cutura, Franjo Arapovic or Danko Cvjeticanin. Drazen Petrovic had 26 of his 36 points in the second half of the 1985 Euroleague final, as Cibona downed Real Madrid 87-78 to claim its first top continental title. Getting there is tough, but staying atop is even tougher. This is what Cibona did, however, as the Petrovic brothers led the team to a second Euroleague title in 1986, beating Zalgiris 94-82 in an unforgottable title game in which Drazen escaped with the trophy against Arvydas Sabonis. Cibona still added a second Cup Winners' Cup title in 1987 against Scavolini Pesaro and reached the Korac Cup final in 1988 before Drazen Petrovic left the team for good. Drazen Petrovic, who died in a car accident in 1993, stays not only as the best-ever Cibona player, but as a Croatian legend.
2006-07 RESULTS | Euroleague | | Adriatic League | R. Season | 20-6 | Playoffs | Semis |
| Croatian League | R. Season | 12-2 | Playoffs | Champion |
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With the opening of the Croatian League in the 1990s, Cibona built a dynasty, with 11 consecutive national titles and five Croatian Cups through 2002. Since then, Cibona has established itself as a regular participant in the Top 16. Even in a rare trophy-less season in 2004-05, Cibona bounced back in 2005-06 with an amazing Top 16 run. The team had to wait until the very last minute to make it to the Top 16, but an outstanding Scoonie Penn led Cibona to three consecutive wins against Panathinaikos, Benetton and Efes Pilsen. The team missed the playoffs on a four-way tie-break, but came back home to lift another Croatian League title. Last season, Cibona missed the Top 16 in a last-second situation but stil lifted its 14th Croatian league trophy in 16 years, downing Zadar in a thrilling five-game title series. Players like Slaven Rimac, Davor Marcelic, Gordan Giricek, Veljko Mrsic, Nikola Prkacin or most recently, Davor Kus, Zoran Planinic, Marko Popovic or Damir Markota make sure that Drazen Petrovic's winning spirit stays in Zagreb for good. Thousands of Cibona fans will gather together at Kosarkaski Center Drazen Petrovic to help Cibona to reach higher next season.
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Euroleague.net
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