1997–98 FIBA EuroCup

The 1997–98 FIBA EuroCup was the thirty-second edition of FIBA's 2nd-tier level European-wide professional club basketball competition. it occurred between September 16, 1997, and April 14, 1998. The final was held at Pionir Hall, Belgrade, Yugoslavia. In the final, Žalgiris defeated Stefanel Milano, in front of 5,000 spectators.

1997–98 FIBA EuroCup
LeagueFIBA EuroCup
SportBasketball
Final
ChampionsLithuania Žalgiris
  Runners-upItaly Stefanel Milano
Finals MVPLithuania Saulius Štombergas

Competition system

  • 48 teams (national domestic cup champions, plus the best qualified teams from the most important European national domestic leagues), entered a preliminary group stage, divided into eight groups of six teams each, and played a round-robin. The final standings were based on individual wins and defeats. In the case of a tie between two or more teams, after the group stage, the following criteria were used to decide the final classification: 1) number of wins in one-to-one games between the teams; 2) basket average between the teams; 3) general basket average within the group.
  • The top four teams from each group qualified for a 1/16 Final Playoff (X-pairings, home and away games), where the winners advanced further to 1/8 Finals, 1/4 Finals, and 1/2 Final.
  • The Final was played at a predetermined venue.

Country ranking

For the 1997–1998 FIBA EuroCup, the countries are allocated places according to their place on the FIBA country rankings, which takes into account their performance in European competitions from 1994–95 to 1996–97.[1]

Country ranking for 1997–1998 FIBA EuroCup
Rank Country Points Teams Notes
1  Spain 279.667 2
2  Greece 275.000
3  Italy 190.833
4  France 117.500
5  Turkey 96.667
6  Russia 70.542
7  Germany 55.389
8  Croatia 50.833
9  Israel 43.048
10  Slovenia 38.833
11  FR Yugoslavia 25.000
12  Portugal 23.071
13  Belgium 22.500
14  Poland 21.206
15  Lithuania 19.416
16  Ukraine 15.762
17  Hungary 9.667 1 +1, Marc-Kormend got wild card
18  Czech Republic 7.139 +1, USK Erpet Praha got wild card
19  Slovakia 6.555
Rank Country Points Teams Notes
20  Macedonia 6.111 1 +1, MZT got wild card
21  Austria 5.445
22  Sweden 5.333
23  Cyprus 4.333
24  England 4.167
25  Latvia 3.722
26   Switzerland 3.083 -1, Fribourg Olympic withdrew
27  Bulgaria 2.694 -1, Slavia Sofia withdrew
28  Romania 2.389 -1, Dinamo București withdrew
29  Finland 1.861
30  Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.778
31  Estonia 1.500
32  Netherlands 1.500
33  Georgia 1.500 0
34  Luxembourg 1.444
35  Albania 1.361
36  Denmark 0.167
37  Moldova 0.111
38  Belarus 0.056

Team allocation

The labels in the parentheses show how each team qualified for the place of its starting round:

  • 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc.: League position after eventual Playoffs
  • CW: Cup winners
  • WC: Wild card
Regular season
Spain Festina Joventut (4th) Germany Bayer 04 Leverkusen (3rd) Belgium Spirou (1st) North Macedonia Rabotnički (1st)
Spain Cáceres (10th) Germany Tatami Rhöndorf (5th) Belgium Sunair Oostende (CW) North Macedonia MZT Aerodrom (WC)
Greece Panathinaikos (5th) Croatia Zagreb (3rd) Poland Mazowzanka (1st) Slovakia Slovakofarma Pezinok (1st)
Greece Apollon Achaia Clauss (7th) Croatia Zrinjevac (5th) Poland Śląsk Wrocław (CW) Austria SÜBA Sankt Pölten (1st)
Italy Stefanel Milano (5th) Israel Maccabi Ironi Ra`anana (3rd) Lithuania Žalgiris (1st) Sweden Plannja (1st)
Italy Polti Cantù (8th) Israel Hapoel Eilat (4th) Lithuania Žemaitijos Lokiai (2nd) Cyprus Keravnos (1st)
France ASVEL (CW) Slovenia Kovinotehna Savinjska Polzela (2nd) Ukraine Budivelnyk (1st) England London Towers (1st)
France Le Mans (5th) Slovenia Pivovarna Laško (4th) Ukraine BIPA-Moda Odesa (2nd) Latvia ASK Brocēni (1st)
Turkey Tofaş (4th) Federal Republic of Yugoslavia FMP Železnik (CW) Hungary Danone-Honvéd (1st) Finland Torpan Pojat (1st)
Turkey Fenerbahçe (5th) Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Beobanka (3rd) Hungary Marc-Körmend (WC) Bosnia and Herzegovina Sloboda Dita (1st)
Russia Avtodor Saratov (2nd) Portugal Oliveirense (2nd) Czech Republic ICEC Opava (1st) Estonia Kalev (2nd)
Russia Samara (3rd) Portugal Portugal Telecom (3rd) Czech Republic USK Erpet Praha (WC) Netherlands Libertel Dolphins EBBC (1st)


Preliminary group stage

Key to colors
     Qualified to Round of 32
     Eliminated

Group A

TeamPldPtsWLPFPAPD
1.Spain Festina Joventut 101991884782+102
2.Turkey Tofaş 101773793698+95
3.Ukraine BIPA-Moda Odesa 101773731644+87
4.Finland Torpan Pojat 101555738735+3
5.Lithuania Žemaitijos Lokiai 101228734854−120
6.North Macedonia Rabotnički 1010010653820−167

Group B

TeamPldPtsWLPFPAPD
1.France Le Mans 101773794792+2
2.Poland Śląsk Wrocław 101664760751+9
3.Slovenia Pivovarna Laško 101664800783+17
4.Turkey Fenerbahçe 101555783763+20
5.Latvia ASK Brocēni 101555879832+47
6.Czech Republic ICEC Opava 101119745840−95

Group C

TeamPldPtsWLPFPAPD
1.Lithuania Žalgiris 101773777672+105
2.France ASVEL 101773677642+35
3.Poland Mazowzanka 101664827790+37
4.Croatia Zagreb 101664776704+72
5.Estonia Kalev 101446690737−47
6.North Macedonia MZT Aerodrom 1010010634836−202

Group D

TeamPldPtsWLPFPAPD
1.Spain Cáceres 101664836767+69
2.Russia Samara 101664801774+27
3.Federal Republic of Yugoslavia FMP Železnik 101664793719+74
4.Cyprus Keravnos 101555681743−62
5.Portugal Oliveirense 101446713787−74
6.Sweden Plannja 101337819853−34

Group E

TeamPldPtsWLPFPAPD
1.Italy Stefanel Milano 101882840729+111
2.Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Beobanka 101773784716+68
3.Israel Hapoel Eilat 101773805787+18
4.Germany Tatami Rhöndorf 101555765814−49
5.Hungary Danone-Honvéd 101228721779−58
6.England London Towers 101119692782−90

Group F

TeamPldPtsWLPFPAPD
1.Belgium Spirou 101882855710+145
2.Greece Apollon Patras 101773910795+115
3.Croatia Zrinjevac 101664836822+14
4.Slovenia Kovinotehna Savinjska Polzela 101555859842+17
5.Netherlands Libertel Dolphins EBBC 101337761889−128
6.Czech Republic USK Erpet Praha 101119730893−163

Group G

TeamPldPtsWLPFPAPD
1.Italy Polti Cantù 101991916762+154
2.Belgium Sunair Oostende 101773860820+40
3.Hungary Marc-Körmend 101664822807+15
4.Germany Bayer 04 Leverkusen 101555820884−64
5.Portugal Portugal Telecom 101337863873−10
6.Bosnia and Herzegovina Sloboda Dita 1010010735870−135

Group H

TeamPldPtsWLPFPAPD
1.Greece Panathinaikos 101991865645+220
2.Russia Avtodor Saratov 101882879834+45
3.Israel Maccabi Ironi Ra`anana 101555778784−6
4.Slovakia Slovakofarma Pezinok 101446756856−100
5.Austria SÜBA Sankt Pölten 101228707802−95
6.Ukraine Budivelnyk 101228695759−64

Round of 32

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Fenerbahçe Turkey 150–162 Spain Festina Joventut 78–75 72–87
Pivovarna Laško Slovenia 157–170 Turkey Tofaş 79–85 78–85
BIPA-Moda Odesa Ukraine 143–171 Poland Śląsk Wrocław 74–84 69–87
Torpan Pojat Finland 144–131 France Le Mans 77–69 67–62
Keravnos Cyprus 101–130 Lithuania Žalgiris 61–57 40–73
FMP Železnik Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 136–145 France ASVEL 71–66 65–79
Mazowzanka Poland 150–164 Russia Samara 78–94 72–70
Zagreb Croatia 151–146 Spain Cáceres 98–63 53–83
Kovinotehna Savinjska Polzela Slovenia 111–168 Italy Stefanel Milano 56–98 55–70
Zrinjevac Croatia 114–119 Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Beobanka 59–59 55–60
Hapoel Eilat Israel 180–173 Greece Apollon Patras 101–84 79–89
Tatami Rhöndorf Germany 177–159 Belgium Spirou 83–77 94–82
Slovakofarma Pezinok Slovakia 154–166 Italy Polti Cantù 95–87 59–79
Maccabi Ironi Ra`anana Israel 155–156 Belgium Sunair Oostende 86–82 69–74
Marc-Körmend Hungary 159–184 Russia Avtodor Saratov 83–85 76–99
Bayer 04 Leverkusen Germany 135–169 Greece Panathinaikos 64–86 71–83

Round of 16

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
ASVEL France 164–152 Spain Festina Joventut 82–74 82–78
Samara Russia 127–125 Finland Torpan Pojat 77–74 50–51
Tofaş Turkey 131–133 Lithuania Žalgiris 66–62 65–71
Śląsk Wrocław Poland 142–131 Croatia Zagreb 76–60 66–71
Sunair Oostende Belgium 140–162 Italy Stefanel Milano 68–80 72–82
Avtodor Saratov Russia 160–126 Germany Tatami Rhöndorf 71–50 89–76
Beobanka Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 163–136 Italy Polti Cantù 88–58 75–78
Hapoel Eilat Israel 148–164 Greece Panathinaikos 80–78 68–86

Quarterfinals

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
ASVEL France 128–129 Italy Stefanel Milano 58–67 70–62
Avtodor Saratov Russia 181–175 Russia Samara 92–65 89–110
Žalgiris Lithuania 137–119 Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Beobanka 78–65 59–54
Panathinaikos Greece 143–119 Poland Śląsk Wrocław 82–58 61–61

Semifinals

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Panathinaikos Greece 138–144 Italy Stefanel Milano 77–58 61–86
Žalgiris Lithuania 159–151 Russia Avtodor Saratov 96–74 63–77

Final

April 14, Hala Pionir, Belgrade

Team 1  Score  Team 2
Žalgiris Lithuania 82–67 Italy Stefanel Milano
1997–98 FIBA EuroCup Champions
Lithuania
Žalgiris
1st title

Awards

FIBA Saporta Cup Finals MVP

References

  1. "Linguasport – FIBA Country Ranking (B)". www.linguasport.com. Retrieved 2020-05-31.
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