The 2003–04 Lega Basket Serie A, known as the Serie A TIM for sponsorship reasons, was the 82nd season of the Lega Basket Serie A, the highest professional basketball league in Italy.
The regular season ran from October 4, 2003 to May 9, 2004, 18 teams played 34 games each. The top 8 teams made the play-offs whilst the two lowest ranked teams, Coop Nordest Trieste and Sicilia Messina, were relegated to the Legadue.
Montepaschi Siena won their first ever title by winning the playoff finals series against Skipper Bologna.
Teams
TeamCityArenaCapacityAir AvellinoAvellinoPalasport Del Mauro5,195Benetton TrevisoTrevisoPalaVerde5,344Breil MilanoMilanMediolanum Forum12,331Coop Nordest TriesteTriestePalaTrieste6,943Euro RosetoRoseto degli AbruzziPalaMaggetti4,000Lauretana BiellaBiellaLauretana Biella Forum5,007Lottomatica RomaRomePalazzetto dello Sport3,500Mabo LivornoLivornoPalaLivorno Algida8,033Metis VareseVaresePalaWhirlpool5,100Montepaschi SienaSienaPalaEstra5,070Oregon Scientific CantùCantùMapooro Arena3,910Pompea NapoliNaplesPalaBarbuto5,000Scavolini PesaroPesaroAdriatic Arena6,119Sicilia MessinaMessinaPalaSanFilippo5,500Skipper BolognaBolognaPalaDozza5,700Snaidero Cucine UdineUdinePalaCarnera3,850Teramo BasketTeramoPalaScapriano3,559Tris Reggio CalabriaReggio CalabriaPalaCalafiore7,000
Season narrative
Preseason The league signed a three-year sponsorship contract with mobile phone company TIM in September 2003, award the naming rights for the competition."Presentation of the new season." , La Provincia via Lega Basket, 28 September 2003. Retrieved on 3 June 2015.
Prior to the start of play, in August 2003, Virtus Bologna were excluded from the league due to financial irregularities (namely unpaid wages), they were replaced by Sicilia Messina, the losing finalist of the preceding year's Legadue, a proposal to expand the league to 20 clubs and thus include both clubs was not approved."Virtus Bologna is no more."La Gazzetta dello Sport, Roma, 4 August 2003. Retrieved on 3 June 2015."Virtus is out, Messina retaken." , Messaggero Veneto – Giornale del Friuli via Lega Basket, 1 September 2003. Retrieved on 3 June 2015.
Reigning champions Benetton Treviso were seen as the favourites to retain their title, teams Lottomatica Roma, Scavolini Pesaro, Montepaschi Siena and Skipper Bologna were seen as the main challengers, with Air Avellino, Coop Nordest Trieste, Mabo Livorno and above all Sicilia Messina seen as the clubs fighting to avoid relegation."Ramagli and the opponents." , la Repubblica via Lega Basket, 9 September 2003. Retrieved on 3 June 2015.
Regular season
Montepaschi Sienna finished first in the league for the first time of their history, Skipper Bologna and Benetton Treviso finished equal on points in second place but Skipper was 2-0 in their direct confrontations and hence superseded Treviso. The title was strongly expected to be disputed between these three teams.Fuochi, Walter. "Basketball decides its playoffs." , la Repubblica via Lega Basket, 10 May 2004. Retrieved on 5 June 2015.
At the other end of the standings, late promotee Sicilia Messina predictably struggled on the court - a relegation confirmed in the penultimate round seen as an achievement - and off the court, with financial problems and a perceived disinterest by the public.Tartamella, Fabio. "Sicilia Basket's dream finished in debts and defeats.." , la Repubblica via Lega Basket, 7 May 2004. Retrieved on 5 June 2015. The other relegated team Coop Nordest Trieste also struggled financially (along with some other Serie A teams),"Trieste is trimming.", Messaggero Veneto – Giornale del Friuli via Lega Basket, 7 June 2004. Retrieved on 5 June 2015. both would declare bankruptcy in the course of the following year.
Playoffs
After reaching the finals for a historic first time, Montepaschi Sienna won its first championship after winning all of its playoff games.Franco, Simone. "Great Siena the Italian champion." La Gazzetta dello Sport via Lega Basket, 5 June 2004. Retrieved on 6 June 2015. Losing finalist Skipper Bologna's prior defeat of Benetton Treviso meant that Benetton, who had won the last two editions, did not compete in the final for only the second time in six years.Maffei, Luigi. "Basile sends Benetton on holiday: Siena-Bologna final." , Il Gazzettino via Lega Basket, 30 May 2004. Retrieved on 6 June 2015.
Regular season Teams Qualification or relegation1Montepaschi Siena 34 26 8 3014 2746Playoffs2Skipper Bologna 34 25 9 2941 27303Benetton Treviso 34 25 9 2943 26404Scavolini Pesaro 34 23 11 2918 27615Pompea Napoli 34 22 12 2858 28086Oregon Scientific Cantù 34 20 14 2835 28167Lottomatica Roma 34 19 15 2712 26538Metis Varese 34 18 16 2906 29059Tris Reggio Calabria 34 16 18 2733 273410Breil Milano 34 15 19 2744 273711Lauretana Biella 34 15 19 2756 275912Snaidero Cucine Udine 34 15 19 2850 288113Euro Roseto 34 14 20 2841 294414Teramo Basket 34 11 23 2765 298415Mabo Livorno 34 11 23 2360 262316Air Avellino 34 11 23 2834 291917Coop Nordest Trieste 34 10 24 2518 2842Relegation to Legadue 18Sicilia Messina 34 8 26 2768 3024
Individual statistics, regular season
Points RankNameTeam1. Charlie BellMabo Livorno25.52. Mario BoniTeramo Basket23.83. Alphonso FordScavolini Pesaro23.54. Mike PenberthyPompea Napoli21.35. Carlton MyersLottomatica Roma20.2
Assists RankNameTeam1. Leonardo Busca Sicilia Messina4.92. Gianmarco Pozzecco Skipper Bologna4.23. Tyus EdneyBenetton Treviso3.84. Robert FultzSkipper Bologna3.65. Fabio Di BellaLauretana Biella3.5
Rebounds RankNameTeam1. K'zell WessonEuro Roseto9.52. Matt BonnerSicilia Messina9.33. Tyrone GrantTeramo Basket8.24. Marquis EstillSicilia Messina7.85. Brooks SalesTeramo Basket7.5
Steals RankNameTeam1. Nate Green Air Avellino3.92. Alvin Sims Coop Nordest Trieste3.53. Jerry McCulloughMetis Varese3.04. Hugo SconochiniBreil Milano3.05. Fabio Di BellaLauretana Biella2.7
Blocks RankNameTeam1. Benjamin EzeTris Reggio Calabria1.52. Bud EleyScavolini Pesaro1.33. Alessandro TonolliLottomatica Roma1.14. Michele MaggioliAir Avellino1.05. Marquis EstillSicilia Messina1.0
Valuation RankNameTeam1. Tyrone GrantTeramo Basket24.52. Matt BonnerSicilia Messina22.83. Tyus EdneyBenetton Treviso22.54. Alphonso FordScavolini Pesaro21.85. Jorge GarbajosaBenetton Treviso19.9
Play-offs
Montepaschi Siena vs. Metis Varese
Scavolini Pesaro vs. Pompea Napoli
Benetton Treviso vs. Oregon Scientific Cantù
Skipper Bologna vs. Lottomatica Roma
Semifinals
Montepaschi Siena vs. Scavolini Pesaro
Skipper Bologna vs. Benetton Treviso
Finals
Montepaschi Siena vs. Skipper Bologna
Supercup The Italian Basketball Supercup opened the season on September 27, 2003 in the PalaVerde in Treviso, it pitted reigning champions and 2002-03 cup holders Benetton Treviso against Oregon Scientific Cantù, finalists in the previous year's cup."The latest on the Supercup.", Lega Basket, 26 September 2003. Retrieved on 3 June 2015. Cantù upset Benetton 85-79 to win its first trophy in 12 years, with Nate Johnson named MVP for his first game in Italy."Cantù wins in front of 800 fans." , La Provincia via Lega Basket, 28 September 2003. Retrieved on 3 June 2015.
All Star Game The All Star Game was played in Genoa on December 13, 2004 in the newly opened PalaFiumara. The foreign All Stars beat Italy, bronze medalists at EuroBasket 2003, 106-99 after coming back from behind 55-26 down to force an overtime. Maurice Evans was designated MVP whilst Michele Mian won the three point shootout."Italy falls by a point in overtime.", Il Piccolo via Lega Basket, 14 December 2003. Retrieved on 3 June 2015."All Star Game – all the results." , Lega Basket. Retrieved on 3 June 2015.
Cup The Cup was contested between 25 February and 28 February in the PalaFiera in Forlì between the 8 best ranked teams of the first phase of the league. Benetton Treviso won the cup for the second successive season, beating Scavolini Pesaro 85-76, Jorge Garbajosa was named as the Final Eight MVP."From tomorrow in Forlì: eight good reasons to win.", la Repubblica via Lega Basket, 24 February 2004. Retrieved on 3 June 2015.Vatrella, Davide. "Benetton is the true queen of the Cup.", La Tribuna di Treviso via Lega Basket, 29 February 2004. Retrieved on 3 June 2015.
Awards Most Valuable Player: Gianluca Basile (Skipper Bologna) Coach of the year: Carlo Recalcati (Montepaschi Siena)"Basile and Recalcati voted athlete and coach of the year." , Lega Basket, 1 June 2004. Retrieved on 6 June 2015. Finals MVP: David Andersen (Montepaschi Siena)"Andersen MVP of the champion Montepaschi." , Lega Basket, 6 June 2004. Retrieved on 6 June 2015.
Notes
References
External links "Calendar of the 2003-04 season at." , Lega Basket. Retrieved on 6 June 2015.