February 09, 2012
2000-01 REGULAR SEASON
The brand new Euroleague took off on November 9, 2000, when the regular season started with the Opening Game. Real Madrid edged Olympiakos 75-73 and Dino Radja made history by scoring the first basket in competition history. All 24 teams were drawn into four groups of six. Only the top four teams in each group would make it to the playoffs. Paf Bologna won Group A with an 8-2 record, winning a do-or-die game Week 10 game against Peristeri in a direct fight for first place. Zalgiris and Estudiantes also reached the playoffs. In Group B, Kinder Bologna was first with a league-best 9-1 record. AEK, Tau Ceramica and Cibona stayed alive in the competition. Olympiakos was the Group C champion due to its tie-break advantage in a three-way tie with Real Madrid and Union Olimpija. Barcelona won Group D with a 8-2 record, one win away from PAOK and Buducnost and two ahead Mash Verona. Alphonso Ford of Peristeri was the regular season top scorer (24.9 ppg.), Dejan Tomasevic of Buducnost led this phase in rebounder (11.8 rpg.) and Elmer Bennett of Tau was first in assists (6 apg.).
Raul Lopez - Real Madrid
 REGULAR SEASON GAME 1
A new era started in European club basketball with the Euroleague Opening Game, in which Real Madrid downed Olympiakos 75-73 behind 14 points from Alberto Angulo. AEK edged Virtus 78-77 with 16 points from Milan Gurovic. In other close game, Union Olimpija upset Benetton 69-71 behind 16 points from Mindaugas Zukauskas.
Panagiotis Liadelis - PAOK
 REGULAR SEASON GAME 2
Only six teams were undefeated after 2 games, which shows how competitive the brand new Euroleague was right from the beginning. PAOK downed Barcelona 58-67 with 21 points from Panos Liadelis. Paf Bologna needed overtime to edge Zadar 87-91 with 30 points from Gianluca Basile. Estudiantes topped Zalgiris 77-80 in Kaunas.
Louis Bullock - Muller Verona
 REGULAR SEASON GAME 3
Paf Bologna, AEK, Real Madrid and PAOK stayed undefeated and led their respective regular season groups. Paf thrashed Lugano 72-100 with 22 points from Gianluca Basile. AEK did not find problem to down Charleroi 97-73 while Madrid topped Ovarense 73-80 with 14 points each from Alberto Angulo and Erik Meek.
Dejan Tomasevic - Buducnost
 REGULAR SEASON GAME 4
Only Paf Bologna and AEK stayed undefeated after 4 regular season games. AEK edged Cibona 83-75 behind 16 points from Ibrahim Kutluay. Meanwhile, Paf topped Estudiantes 81-72 with 24 points from Adrian Autrey. Dejan Tomasevic had 29 points and 14 rebounds to make Buducnost beat PAOK 83-71 at home and improve to 3-1 in Group D.
Pau Gasol - FC Barcelona
 REGULAR SEASON GAME 5
No undefeated teams were left in the competition as the regular season reached its halfway mark. Peristeri downed Paf 83-70 behind 26 points from scoring ace Alphonso Ford. Tau Ceramica thrashed AEK 85-65 with 16 points from Victor Alexander. Olimpija defeated Real Madrid 88-79 with 23 points from Emilio Kovacic.
Derrick Taylor - Opel Skyliners
 REGULAR SEASON GAME 6
Peristeri, Virtus, Olympiacos and Verona led their respective regular season groups. Virtus was all but mathematically into the next round due to a convincing 81-66 home win against AEK with 16 points from Marko Jaric. Verona thrashed PAOK 102-88, as Corey Schmidt led 6 players in double digits with 20 points.
Petar Naumoski - Benetton Basket
 REGULAR SEASON GAME 7
Peristeri, Virtus, Tau Ceramica, AEK, Olimpija, Barcelona, Verona and Buducnost had already made it to the playoffs, as all Euroleague powerhouses tried to get the home court advantage. Barcelona downed PAOK 91-102 with 29 points from Arturas Karnisovas while Benetton topped Olympiakos 95-87 behind 26 points from Petar Naumoski.
Alessandro Abbio - Kinder Bologna
 REGULAR SEASON GAME 8
Paf Bologna, Olympiacos, Benetton, Real Madrid and PAOK reached the playoffs in this round, leaving three open slots available in Groups A and B. Zalgiris downed Peristeri 86-73 behind 20 points from Donatas Slanina. Olympiakos defeated Olimpija 82-70 while Virtus topped Tau 76-73 with 21 points from Sandro Abbio.
Tom Wideman - London Towers
 REGULAR SEASON GAME 9
Adecco Estudiantes, Zadar and Cibona completed the 16 playoff teams that would fight for the Euroleague title - even when all three teams registered respective losses. Virtus won Group B with a 106-87 home win against Charleroi. Matjaz Smodis and Rashard Griffith led Virtus each with 23 points.
Josep Cargol - PAOK
 REGULAR SEASON GAME 10
Paf, Olympiacos and Barcelona joined Virtus as regular season group champions, getting the home court advantage in the playoffs. Paf edged Peristeri 71-69 to win Group A with 15 points from Anthony Bowie. Barcelona downed Opel Skyliners 51-68 behind 21 points from Juan Carlos Navarro.
STANDINGS
GROUP A
Fortitudo Bologna
 Fortitudo Bologna
8-2
+52
Peristeri
 Peristeri
7-3
+55
Zalgiris Kaunas
 Zalgiris
6-4
+50
Estudiantes
 Estudiantes
4-6
-1
Lugano Basket
 Lugano Snakes
3-7
-137
KK Zadar
 Zadar
2-8
-19
GROUP B
Virtus Bologna
 Kinder Bologna
9-1
+101
AEK Athens
 AEK Athens
8-2
+59
Tau Ceramica
 Tau Ceramica
6-4
+49
cibona
 Cibona
3-7
-59
S. Petersburg Lions
 S. Petersburg Lions
2-8
-62
Spirou Basket
 Spirou Charleroi
2-8
-88
GROUP C
olympiacos
 Olympiakos
7-3
+123
Real Madrid
 Real Madrid
7-3
+70
Union Olimpija
 Union Olimpija
7-3
+71
Benetton Treviso
 Benetton Treviso
6-4
+70
Hapoel Jerusalem
 Hapoel Jerusalem
3-7
-97
Ovarense Aerosoles
 Ovarense Aerosoles
0-10
-237
GROUP D
FC Barcelona
 FC Barcelona
8-2
+99
PAOK
 PAOK Thessaloniki
7-3
+67
Buducnost
 Buducnost
7-3
+25
Scaligera Basket Verona
 Muller Verona
6-4
+66
London Towers
 London Towers
1-9
-103
Opel Skyliners
 Opel Skyliners
1-9
-160

STATISTICAL LEADERS

POINTS
Alphonso Ford
 A. Ford 24.9
D. Tomasevic 23.1
P. Liadelis 22.4
D. Hamilton 21.8
J. Rich 21.5
REBOUNDS
Tomasevic
 D. Tomasevic 11.8
D. Radja 10.1
R. Ellis 9.6
R. Griffith 9.4
M. Batiste 9.2
ASSISTS
Elmer Bennett
 E. Bennett 6.0
I. Maric 5.9
J. Blackwell 4.1
R. Pittis 4.0
S. Becirovic 3.9
STEALS
Jameil Rich
 J. Rich 3.7
I. Maric 3.7
R. Pittis 3.5
E. Ginobili 2.9
P. Baldwin 2.8
BLOCKS
G. Khizhniak
 G. Khizhniak 3.2
D. Pejcinovic 2.5
R. Griffith 1.8
E. Struelens 1.4
D. Radja 1.3
FREE THROWS
Kestutis Marciulonis
 K. Marciulonis 97.0%
D. Krunic 94.7%
M. Topic 94.1%
H. Williams 93.9%
D. Slanina 93.7%
2P SHOTS
Primoz Brezec
 P. Brezec 81.8%
M. Skelin 80.9%
D. Milojevic 76.9%
M. Pelekanos 75.0%
S. Nicevic 71.8%
3P SHOTS
Donatas Slanina
 D. Slanina 62.0%
J. Racca 56.5%
A. Rigaudeau 54.8%
R. Grey 53.8%
N. Azofra 53.3%
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Euroleague.net
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