FIBA EuroChallenge (called the FIBA Europe League in 2003–05, and FIBA EuroCup in 2005–08) was the 3rd-tier continental club basketball competition in Europe, from 2003 to 2015. It was organized and run by FIBA Europe. It is not to be confused with the FIBA EuroCup Challenge – the defunct 4th-tier competition, which was also organized and run by FIBA Europe, played between 2002–03 and 2006–07. In 2015, FIBA dissolved the EuroChallenge, in order to start the Basketball Champions League (BCL) and FIBA Europe Cup (FEC), in order to extend opportunities outside the competitions organized by the Euroleague Basketball.
History The competition was created in 2003, following the defections of most of the top European basketball teams from the former FIBA SuproLeague, which heralded the formation of the new version of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, under the umbrella of Euroleague Basketball. FIBA was aiming to create a competition similar to the former Suproleague to rival the Euroleague. From the 2004–05 season and after FIBA sanctioned the Euroleague and the ULEB Cup, the EuroChallenge was considered to be the 3rd strongest international professional basketball competition for men's clubs in Europe, after both the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and the EuroCup (both of which fall under the supervision of Euroleague Basketball). Though, during the first two seasons of the competition's coexistence with the EuroCup, the EuroChallenge (under the name FIBA Europe League) was favored by Italian, Russian and Greek teams, making both competitions quite comparable in strength.
Since the 2007-08 and following am agreement between ULEB and FIBA the two EuroChallenge finalists were promoted to the next season's 2nd tier level, the EuroCup competition.
In 2015, FIBA Europe dissolved the EuroChallenge, to start a new self-anointed second-tier competition, called the FIBA Europe Cup, in an attempt to compete with the EuroCup.
Criteria and rules Each country could have no more than 4 teams in the FEL. Clubs could maintain all TV, marketing and merchandising rights, with the exception of the rights related to the Final Four. The main criteria for the participation of Cclubs to the FEL would include the ranking of the respective National Federations, and their participation and results in past FIBA competitions Venues should hold a minimum capacity of 2,000 spectators National Federations could propose their candidates for wild cards
Name history FIBA Europe League (2003–2005) FIBA EuroCup (2005–2008) FIBA EuroChallenge (2008-2015)
Final Fours YearFinalSemifinalistsChampionScoreSecond placeThird placeScoreFourth place2003–04Details UNICS87–63 Maroussi TIM Hapoel Tel Aviv112–104 Ural Great Perm2004–05Details Dynamo Saint Petersburg85–74 Kyiv Khimki86–79 Fenerbahçe2005–06Details DKV Joventut88–63 Khimki Kyiv83–81 Dynamo Saint Petersburg2006–07Details Akasvayu Girona79–72 Azovmash VidiVici Bologna82–60 MMT Estudiantes2007–08Details Barons LMT63–62 Dexia Mons-Hainaut Proteas EKA AEL79–70 Tartu Ülikool Rock2008–09Details Virtus BolognaFiere77–75 Cholet Triumph Lyubertsy94–82 Proteas EKA AEL2009–10Details Göttingen83–75 Krasnye Krylia Chorale Roanne86–80 Scavolini Spar Pesaro2010–11Details Krka83–77 Lokomotiv Kuban Telenet Oostende 94–92 Spartak Saint Petersburg2011–12Details Beşiktaş Milangaz91–86 Élan Chalon Triumph Lyubertsy94–87 Szolnoki Olaj2012–13Details Krasnye Krylia77–76 Pinar Karşıyaka EWE Baskets84–76 Gravelines2013–14Details Grissin Bon Reggio Emilia 79–65 Triumph Lyubertsy Gaziantep Royal Halı87–75 Szolnoki Olaj2014–15Details JSF Nanterre64–63 Trabzonspor Medical Park Energia Târgu Jiu83–80 Fraport Skyliners
Finals/Final Four MVP award winners (2004–2015)
Season MVP 2003–04 Martin Müürsepp 2004–05 Kelly McCarty 2005–06 Rudy Fernández 2006–07 Ariel McDonald 2007–08 Giedrius Gustas 2008–09 Keith Langford 2009–10 Taylor Rochestie 2010–11 Goran Ikonić 2011–12 Pops Mensah-Bonsu 2012–13 Tre Simmons 2013–14 Andrea Cinciarini 2014–15 Jamal Shuler
Records and statistics
Performances by club
+ Performance in the FIBA EuroChallenge by clubClubWonRunner-upYears wonYears runner-up Krasnye Krylia Samara11 2013 2010 Nanterre10 2015 – Pallacanestro Reggiana10 2014 – Beşiktaş10 2012 – Krka Novo mesto10 2011 – BG Göttingen10 2010 – Virtus Bologna10 2009 – Barons LMT10 2008 – Girona10 2007 – Joventut Badalona10 2006 – Dyanmo Saint Petersburg10 2005 – UNICS Kazan10 2004 – Maroussi01 – 2004 Kyiv01 – 2005 Khimki01 – 2006 Azovmash01 – 2007 Dexia Mons-Hainaut01 – 2008 Cholet01 – 2009 Lokomotiv Kuban01 – 2011 Élan Chalon01 – 2012 Pınar Karşıyaka01 – 2013 Triumph Lyubertsy01 – 2014 Trabzonspor01 – 2015 Total 12 12
Performances by country + Performance in the FIBA EuroChallenge by countryCountryWonRunner-upWinning clubsRunners-up Russia34 Krasnye Krylia Samara (1), BC Dynamo Saint Petersburg (1), UNICS Kazan (1) Krasnye Krylia Samara (1), Lokomotiv Kuban (1), BC Khimki (1), Triumph Lyubertsy (1) Italy20 Virtus Bologna (1), Pallacanestro Reggiana (1) – Spain20 CB Girona (1), Joventut Badalona (1) – France12 JSF Nanterre (1) Élan Chalon (1), Cholet Basket (1) Turkey12 Beşiktaş (1) Pınar Karşıyaka (1), Trabzonspor (1) Germany10 BG Göttingen (1) – Latvia10 Barons LMT (1) – Slovenia10 KK Krka (1) – Ukraine02 – BC Kyiv (1), BC Azovmash (1) Greece01 – Maroussi B.C. (1) Belgium01 – Dexia Mons-Hainaut (1) Total 12 12
Individual records and statistical leaders
All-Star Game
Winning rosters
FIBA Europe League
FIBA EuroCup
FIBA EuroChallenge
See also FIBA Europe Regional Challenge Cup FIBA Europe Conference North FIBA Europe Conference South
References and notes
External links FIBA EuroChallenge official website New competition launched (2003)