Olympiacos crowned Europe's best in Istanbul

DAILY NEWS photo, Emrah GÜREL

Europe's champion was crowned in a fierce final game as Olympiacos and CSKA Moscow battled it out last night in Euroleague's final game in Istanbul.

CSKA Moscow was enjoying a 19 points lead well into the third quarter until Olympiacos charged into victory in the final quarter. The heated game ended with a 62 to 61 end score, with Olympiacos claiming the title of Europe's best.

Milos Teodosic of CSKA and Vassilis Spanoulis of Olympiacos outshined their peers by scoring 15 points each.

After battling their way to Istanbul, four great teams to compete to be the greatest had been settled as CSKA Moscow, FC Barcelona Regal, Olympiacos Piraeus and then defending champion Panathinaikos.

Olympiacos Piraeus has defeated FC Barcelona Regal as CSKA Moscow had joined in after overcoming Panathinaikos in the semifinals. (ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News)

Europe's best to be crowned in final four in Istanbul

Players and coaches of the 2012 Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four teams, officials from the competition and sponsors along with Istanbul Mayor Kadir Topbaş (5R) attend a press conference at the Çırağan Palace in Istanbul prior to the tournament. DAILY NEWS photo, Emrah GÜREL

Istanbul will stage the battle between the continent’s top teams as the 2012 Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four starts at the Sinan Erdem Dome tonight. CSKA Moscow meets Panathinaikos while Barcelona takes on Olympiacos in the semifinals

After battling their way to Istanbul, four great teams will compete to be the greatest, as CSKA Moscow, FC Barcelona Regal, Olympiacos Piraeus and defending champion Panathinaikos start the 2012 Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four today.

The top team on the continent will be decided at the end of the three-day, four-game championship in Istanbul’s Sinan Erdem Dome, starting with today’s semifinals. CSKA Moscow will take on Panathinaikos, while FC Barcelona Regal will play Olympiacos Piraeus.

Judging by their season performances, CSKA Moscow and Barcelona Regal look like the favorites to win their semifinal games, but no teams can be underestimated in the Final Four. There are not many things that can be taken for granted during the Final Four weekend, but what’s certain is that it is going to be the biggest event in European basketball’s calendar this year, and will be highly competitive.

“The Final Four is growing every year. In TV distribution, this Final Four will reach 174 countries on five continents. And we will have 15,000 passionate fans at Sinan Erdem Arena,” Euroleague CEO and President Jordi Bertomeu said during yesterday’s press conference. “I hope all the teams have a successful weekend and I hope you all will have fun in Istanbul.”

Panathinaikos will have to overcome CSKA Moscow if it is to successfully defend its title. Guard Dimitris Diamantidis said that the team will give its best tonight for the win. “We are facing a formidable opponent in CSKA. I believe we will put 100 percent effort into winning,” Diamantidis said. “We lost the regular season games [against CSKA]. It didn’t work out well for us, but that is in the past and we won’t repeat the mistakes of the past. We will try hard to advance.”

Strong squad

CSKA Moscow has arguably the strongest line-up of all the teams in the Final Four, boasting the likes of Russian stars Andrei Kirilenko, Alexey Shved and Viktor Khryapa, Serbian aces Milos Teodosic and Nenad Krstic, and Lithuanians Darjus Lavrinovic and Ramunas Siskauskas. However, Kirilenko, who chose to stay in Europe instead of returning to the Utah Jazz at the end of the NBA lockout, said that it will not be easy at all.

“The Euroleague is a great competition and the four best teams in Europe are playing this Final Four,” Kirilenko said. “It is going to be very tough to lift the trophy, but I think we did a pretty good job during the season and deserve to play here.”

CSKA Moscow’s path crossed with Istanbul twice this season, when the Russian trailblazers played against Anadolu Efes and Galatasaray Medical Park. Kirilenko admired the high level of intensity in those games, particularly for the fans.

“We had different experiences when we played in Turkey -- we beat Efes and lost against Galatasaray,” he said. “The fans were unbelievable and very passionate about basketball. I personally liked it even when they cheered against us. It is very nice to have people come to cheer that way.

When you play against a lot of fans, even if they are cheering against you, is always nice.”

Olympiacos has another tough job to do when it takes on Barcelona Regal, but the Greek side can rely on its experienced coach Dusan Ivkovic and a spirited team led by guard Vassilis Spanoulis as they chase their first European trophy since 1997.
“It was a tough road just to get here,” Spanoulis said. “This season I think we proved we belong here.

Our goal is to play well against a great team, Barcelona, that has all our respect, and to do our best to get to the final.”

Barcelona coach Xavi Pascual did not hide the fact that he is psyched for the game. “I am very even-tempered facing the competition. I am looking forward to it, waiting for the games to start as soon as possible, especially ours,” he said. “We have a lot of respect for our opponent, but we are ready for this game and I am sure it will go down to details.” (ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News)

Greeks, CSKA, Barça book tickets to Istanbul

Panathinaikos beats Maccabi by one point to put an end to one of the most dramatic playoffs series in European basketball history and will join compatriot Olympiacos, CSKA Moscow and Regal Barcelona in next month’s Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four. The top team of the continent will be crowned in Istanbul

Defending champion Panathinaikos Athens joined Olympiacos, CSKA Moscow and Regal Barcelona in the line-up for next month’s Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four.

Holder Panathinaikos Athens clinched the last berth in the Euroleague Final Four after a dramatic 86-85 home win over Maccabi Tel Aviv on April 5 gave the team a 3-2 win in its best-of-five playoff series.

The Greek side joined compatriots Olympiacos Piraeus, 2010 champions Barcelona and six-time winners CSKA Moscow who qualified last week for the season-ending tournament from May 11-13 in Istanbul.

The showcase event in the Sinan Erdem Dome, the venue of the 2010 world championship, could produce the first all-Greek final as CSKA takes on Panathinaikos and Barcelona clashes with 1997 winners Olympiacos.

On Thursday, Panathinaikos came out on top in the enthralling tie-breaker in front of 18,000 fervent home fans in the OAKA Arena, having clawed their way back into the series by edging out Maccabi in Game 4,

Greece playmaker Dimitris Diamantidis was instrumental in their success with a game-high 25 points, including a decisive free throw with five seconds remaining.

Former Maccabi guard Sarunas Jasikevicius, who won back-to-back Euroleague titles with the Israeli club in 2004 and 2005, added 13 points and three assists with a mature performance worthy of his illustrious career.

Key shots

The 36-year-old Lithuanian, who also had spells with NBA outfits Indiana Pacers and Golden State Warriors, hit several key shots as Maccabi threatened to swing the match their way with a 12-0 run early in the second half.

Panathinaikos replied with a 10-0 rally much to the delight of their Serbian coach Zeljko Obradovic, who has won a record eight Euroleague titles with four different clubs including five at the helm of the Greek champions.

But Maccabi, who trailed by as many as 10 points in the final quarter, refused to lie down and almost forced overtime as Guy Pnini tied the score before Diamantidis sank one of two shots from the foul line.

The visitors had the final possession but came nowhere near a shooting position as a cluster of Panathiniakos players formed a wall in mid-court and forced a turnover.

They embraced each other as jubilant home fans lit flares on the buzzer which signaled the end of a rip-roaring contest between two of Europe’s most heralded basketball giants. (hurriyetdailynews)