European domestic leagues review: November 9-15, 2009

A number of big name showdowns between Euroleague and Eurocup clubs provided highlights during another week of exciting action in domestic leagues throughout Europe. CSKA Moscow is back in a familiar place, sitting atop the Russian League after winning a showdown against that league’s other undefeated team, UNICS Kazan. Trajan Langdon scored 18, Zoran Planinic 17 and Viktor Khryapa was strong inside with 14 rebounds to lead CSKA to a 57-69 road win. Meanwhile Regal FC Barcelona tied a Spanish League record with 18 three-pointers in a 100-72 rout of Caja Laboral in a rematch of last season's finals. Juan Carlos Navarro and Terence Morris led the way with 18 points apiece. Real Madrid remained undefeated in Spain after a 67-73 win at Eurocup side Gran Canaria 2014. Travis Hansen and Darjus Lavrinovic paced the winners with 15 points apiece. In the Turkish League, Euroleague and Eurocup sides split a pair as Bootsy Thornton’s 26 points led Efes Pilsen over Besiktas ColaTurka 84-88 and Galatasaray Café Crown edged Fenerbahce Ulker in double overtime thanks to Rado Rancik’s 17 points. And in the Italian League, defending champs Montepaschi Siena downed Eurocup newcomer Lauretana Biella 72-80 as Nikos Zisis poured in 24 points. Follow all the domestic action all season long on Euroleague.net and Eurocupbasketball.com!!!

European domestic leagues review: November 2-8, 2009

Although already several weeks into competitive domestic league all around the continent, a number of top teams remain undefeated in their respective leagues. Cibona Zagreb is perfect through six games in the Adriatic League after Marko Tomas scored 20 points – including the go-ahead points with three minutes to go – to lead his team in a tough come-from-behind victory over Zadar 68-65. In the Lithuanian League, both Zalgiris and Lietuvos Rytas are 6-0. Donatas Zavackas scored a combined 35 points and Steponas Babrauskas 31 in a pair of weekend wins for L. Rytas. Asseco Prokom got 17 points and 8 assists from David Logan as up upended Sportino Inowroclaw 93-74 to improve to 6-0 in the Polish League. It’s Euroleague Group D rival, Real Madrid, is also perfect back home. Madrid rallied from a 9-point halftime deficit to down Meridiano Alicante 78-68 and improve to 6-0 in the Spanish League. Novica Velickovic led the winners with 15 points. And Eurocup power CEZ Basket Nymburk is 11-0 in the Czech League after bouncing Mlekarna Miltra Novy Jicín 87-65 led by Ladislav Sokolovsky. Follow all the domestic action all season long on Euroleague.net and Eurocupbasketball.com!!!

European domestic leagues review: October 26 - November 1, 2009

Now all the top basketball leagues on the continent are running strong, it was only a matter of time before exciting showdowns between Euroleague and Eurocup sides began to take place. In Italy the clash between Montepaschi Siena and Armani Jeans Milano was not only between two Euroleague sides, but also a rematch of last season’s Italian League finals. Montepaschi was the winner again, 79-91, as Romain Sato rattled in 25 points, David Hawkins 19 and Terrell McIntyre produced 14 points and 9 assists. In just its second week of action, the Greek League featured its first all-Euroleague clash, with Olympiacos getting the best of Maroussi 86-77 on the strength of 27 points from Linas Kleiza and 16 from Sofoklis Schortsanitis in just 19 minutes. Jared Homan paced Maroussi with 23. In the Baltic League it was Euroleague force Lietuvos Rytas against Eurocup side Siauliai, with the former scoring a 99-77 victory behind Martynas Gecevicius’s 23 points and 22 from Dejan Borovnjak. And the French League had an all-Eurocup clash with Le Mans edging SLUC Nancy 66-64 as Dee Spencer netted 21. Follow all the domestic action all season long on Euroleague.net and Eurocupbasketball.com!!!

European domestic leagues review: October 19-25, 2009

All the top basketball leagues are now underway and Euroleague and Eurocup teams are doing their best to prove themselves among the rest. It was business as usual for Euroleague champion Panathinaikos as it opened the Greek League by crushing Olympia Larissa 48-83 on the road. Rookie Nick Calathes led the winners with 15 points and Nikola Pekovic added 14 in a win for the Greens. Rival Olympiacos also started on the right foot, beating Aris BSA 78-85 behind Linas Kleiza’s 24 points. In the Israeli League, Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv won its opener, 68-76 at Maccabi Haifa as Alan Aderson led five Maccabi scorers in double digits with 13. The French League had excitement as Entente Orleanaise edged Asvel Basket 76-66 in an All-Euroleague fixture. Cedrick Banks came off the bench for 19 points in 25 minutes to lead Orleans. And in the Czech League, BK Prostejov has joined perennial champion CEZ Basketball Nymburk as the lone undefeated teams through seven games. This week Nymburk crushed Basketball Brno 49-91 after holding the hosts to 5 first-quarter points. Ron Lewis and Petr Benda scored 16 each for the winners. Follow all the domestic action all season long on Euroleague.net and Eurocupbasketball.com!!!

European domestic leagues review: October 12-18, 2009

Basketball season is nearly at full speed in Europe with most leagues already underway and Euroleague and Eurocup teams proving themselves in their respective domestic competitions. The Turkish League clebreated twice this week, first with Efes Pilsen topping rival Fenerbahce Ulker 81-74 to claim the President's Cup as Igor Rakocevic shined with 26 points. Over the weekend the defending champs struck again, pouncing on Mersin Buyuksehir Belediyesi 67-92 on the road in Mersin in the Turkish League regular season opener. Charles Smith and Preston Shumpert each scored 16 to lead Efes. Tarence Kinsey starred as FB Ulker also won its opener. Also underway now is the Russian League, where Euroleague side Khimki bested Eurocup side Spartak St. Petersburg as Keith Langford came through with 17 points. CSKA also won its opener, 55-48 over Lokomotiv Rostov, as Andrei Vorontsevich produced 18 points and 11 rebounds. In the Ukrainian League, Eurocup hopeful BC Donetsk remained undefeated after thrashing Gryfony 85-64 thanks to Ricardo Marsh’s 17 points. And in the French League, Asvel Basket thrashed Strasbourg 90-66 for its first win. Ben Dewar paved the way with 17 points. Follow all the domestic action all season long on Euroleague.net and Eurocupbasketball.com!!!

European domestic leagues review: October 5-11, 2009

A new parade of domestic leagues across Europe enjoyed the opening days of their regular seasons this weekend, with Euroleague and Eurocup teams widely represented in the winners columns. The Adriatic League got rolling with a big 79-59 home win by Eurocup team Zadar over Euroleague visitor Union Olimpija as Rok Stipcevic had 17 points, 8 assists. Cibona also won by 20 points, 85-65 at home against Siroki, while Eurocup qualifying hopeful Buducnost rocked Crvena Zvezda 71-63. In the German League , defending champion EWE Baskets Oldenburg got off on the right foot, stopping Brose Baskets 67-55 as Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje put up 16 points. In the Spanish League, Caja Laboral impressed with a 68-88 road win at Murcia in which Fernando San Emeterio led the winners with 22 points and DKV Joventut won 66-68 over Gran Canaria in an all-Eurocup showdown. In the Italian League, three-time defending champion Montepaschi Siena stormed to a huge 87-48 home victory, even without All-Euroleague point guard Terrell McIntyre. Lottomatica Roma put up Italy's highest point total in beating Cremona 94-78 as Ibby Jaaber scored 28. Follow all the domestic action all season long on Euroleague.net and Eurocupbasketball.com!!!

European domestic leagues review: Sept. 28 - Oct. 4, 2009

Regal FC Barcelona won the 2009 Spanish Supercup! Barcelona lifted its first official trophy in the 2009-10 season by edging archrivals Real Madrid 86-82 in the title game in Gran Canaria on Saturday. It is Barcelona's second Supercup title, as it previously lifted the trophy in 2004. Euroleague MVP Juan Carlos Navarro led the winners with 22 points. Boni Ndong added 13 while Pete Mickeal, Terence Morris and Erazem Lorbek each had 12 for Barcelona. Jorge Garbajosa had 17 points for Madrid, Pablo Prigioni added 12 while Felipe Reyes got 11. Zalgiris already leads the Baltic League with a 3-0 record by registering as many road wins this week. Zalgiris registered its first 2009-10 Baltic League win by edging Siauliai 80-88 in come-from-behind fashion. Travis Watson paced the winners with 24 points and 15 rebounds. Perennial Czech League champion CEZ Basketball Nymburk opened the 2009-10 season in style by downing BK Breda & Weinstein 57-94 on the road on Saturday. Ian Hanavan paced the winners with 21 points on 7-for-7 two-pointers.

European domestic leagues review: September 27, 2009

The 2009-10 European domestic competitions seasons with two Euroleague wins already lifting respective trophies. Union Olimpija opened the season in style by lifting the Slovenian Supercup trophy. Olimpija thrashed Elektra Esotech 95-62 at home on Sunday to win its sixth consecutive Supercup title. Jaka Klobucar led the winners with 20 points on 4-for-6 three-pointers. Gasper Vidmar barely missed a double-double with 18 points and 9 rebounds while Matt Walsh fired in 4-for-5 from downtown on his way to 17 points for Olimpija, that outrebounded its opponents by 40-25. Olimpija already won the Slovenian League and the Slovenian Cup titles last season. The first domestic trophy of the 2009-10 season was won on Saturday in a battle between Euroleague rivals from Lithuania. When the dust settled, Zalgiris Kaunas had defeated Lietuvos Rytas 83-78 in a back-and-forth thriller to win the BBL Cup title. Danius Salenga led the winners from Zalgiris with 18 points, while newcomer Martynas Pocius had 17 and was named MVP. Marcus Brown added 12 points for Zalgiris, while big man Travis Watson had a double-double of 10 points, 11 rebounds. Mantas Kalnietis and Tadas Klimavicius chipped in 9 points each. For L. Rytas, Milka Bjelica and Bojan Popovic led the way with 16 points each, while Martynas Gecevicius had 14 and Arturas Jomantas 11.