2009-10 REGULAR SEASON - 2009-10 - Welcome to EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL

May 22, 2013

2009-10 REGULAR SEASON

The draw for the 2009-10 Euroleague Regular Season groups, held in July, was the starter's pistol for a summer's worth of roster building that led to the start of action in October. The 2009-10 season would be different, however, thanks to an eight-team fall qualifying round by which two lucky teams earned their way directly into the Euroleague. As always, the Final Four teams from the previous spring - champion Panathinaikos, runner-up CSKA, third-place Barcelona and fourth-place Olympiacos - were separated as top seeds at the head of each regular season group. Barcelona was joined in Group A by national champions Asvel, Cibona and Montepaschi, along with Fenerbahce Ulker and Zalgiris. Group B featured Olympiacos and three domestic champions - Lietuvos Rytas, Efes Pilsen and Partizan - as well as Unicaja and qualifier Entente Orleans. In Group C, CSKA was followed by two more national trophy winners, Maccabi Electra and Union Olimpija, not to mention Lottomatica Roma, Caja Laboral and another qualifier, Maroussi. And Group D started with Panathinaikos, continued with national champs EWE Baskets Oldenburg and Assecco Prokom, and finished with Real Madrid, BC Khimki and Armani Jeans Milano. For the second year in a row, a 10-game regular season will see all teams play each of their group-mates twice, home and away. The best four teams in each group at the end of the regular season, on January 14, 2010, will advance to the Top 16.

Regular Season, Game 1

The regular season started with some thrillers all around the continent. In Athens, CSKA edged Maroussi BC 65-66 on a buzzer-beating triple by Viktor Khryapa. BC Khimki had an outstanding Euroleague debut with a 84-81 overtime win against Real Madrid. Regal FCB downed FB Ulker in Istanbul, Montepaschi Siena overwhelmed Cibona in Zagreb while Panathinaikos edged Armani Jeans in Milano. MORE | MVP

Regular Season, Game 2

Only six teams were undefeated when regular season Game 2 was already in the books. Unicaja downed Olympiacos 86-68 behind 19 points from Taquan Dean. Lottomatica upset CSKA 69-74 in Moscow to go up to 2-0. In another big game this week. Caja Laboral edged Maccabi Electra 86-81 with 26 points from Tiago Splitter. Panathinaikos overwhelmed Khimki 101-66 behind an outstanding Dimitris Diamantidis. MORE | MVP

Regular Season, Game 3

Montepaschi Siena, Regal FCB, Unicaja and Lottomatica were the only undefeated teams left after 3 games. Unicaja edged Efes Pilsen 93-88 in overtime and Montepaschi rallied from a 21-point deficit to down Asvel Basket 65-82 behind 33 points from Romain Sato. Maccabi topped CSKA 71-54 while Real Madrid defeated Panathinaikos 80-70. Rimantas Kaukenas had 17 points in a big win for Madrid. MORE | MVP

	Regular Season, Game 4
	In arguably one of the best regular season games in Euroleague history, Maccabi Electra edged Lottomatica 90-92 behind 27 points from an inspired Alan Anderson. Caja Laboral topped Maroussi 86-103 while Olympiacos confirmed its good moment with a convincing 105-90 home triumph against Efes Pilsen. Cibona downed Zalgiris 64-52 in Zagreb to register its first win this season. MORE \| MVP

Regular Season, Game 5

The halfway point of the regular season arrived at the end of Week 5 with plenty of evidence that many teams are ready for a life-or-death battle in the last five games. Only two teams were able to make it this far undefeated. The big winners, without doubt, were a pair of Spanish powers. Regal FC Barcelona rode into Siena to hand Montepaschi a big first loss, 65-84, as Boni Ndong had 19 points. MORE | MVP

Regular Season, Game 6

The second half of the regular season began in Week 6 with the confirmation of the last undefeated team in the Euroleague and the first to reach the Top 16. That team - or rather, well-oiled machine - was none other than Regal FC Barcelona, which cruised past Fenerbahce Ulker 89-55 with more overwhelming defense and a new pair of top scorers, Jaka Lakovic and Fran Vazquez, with 15 points each. MORE | MVP

Regular Season, Game 7

The battle for the Top 16 took some dramatic turns in regular season Week 7 as three new teams blasted their way into the next round with road wins even as first place either changed hands or was newly shared in three different groups. Group A, where three road teams won, is where things are clearest. Montepaschi prevailed 72-83 at Zalgiris to also reach the Top 16 as David Hawkins scored 21. MORE | MVP

	Regular Season, Game 8
	The Euroleague said goodbye to 2009 with half of its regular season riddle solved. After eight games, exactly eight teams fill half of the sports in the Top 16, leaving the other half to be decided with what promises to be more compelling drama when the action resumes on January 6, 2010. MORE \| MVP

Regular Season, Game 9

The next-to-last week of the Euroleague regular season rewarded three teams - Partizan, Maccabi and newcomer Khimki - with trips to the Top 16 while Olympiacos became the first group winner. Partizan needed to win by 23 points, seemingly unthinkable when December MVP Aleks Maric was injured early in the game, but routed Lietuvos Rytas 97-67 as Slavko Vranes and Aleksandar Rasic starred. MORE | MVP

Preston Shumpert celebrates - Efes Pilsen

Regular Season, Game 10

The Top 16 teams are set. A thrilling Thursday of Week 10 ushered in the last three teams and sealed the last two top seeds ahead of the upcoming Top 16 Draw. Cibona eliminated Asvel Basket 73-71 as Marko Tomas shined with 24 points. Zalgiris dismissed Fenerbahce Ulker 68-76 on the road and Efes outlasted Entente Orleanaise 60-75 behind Preston Shumpert’s season-high 21 points. MORE | MVP

STANDINGS