The 2002–03 FIBA Europe Regional Challenge Cup was a one-season international European competition for men's professional basketball clubs, organised by FIBA. Although it was marketed at the time by FIBA as the 2nd-tier level European club basketball tournament, most would consider it Europe's 4th-tier level competition, after the Euroleague, ULEB Cup and the FIBA Europe Champions Cup. The aim of this tournament was to provide competitive international play for clubs that would otherwise be unable to participate in international basketball. The tournament which featured 4 domestic champions was divided in two conferences: "North" (which consisted of 17 teams) and "South" (which consisted of 11 teams). The season started on 30 October 2002, and ended on 13 February 2003. There were two champions - Azovmash from Ukraine and AEL Limassol from Cyprus. Prior to the commencement of the 2003–04 basketball season, an agreement between FIBA Europe and ULEB basketball was reached regarding the management of Europe's transnational leagues. As a result, the Regional Challenge Cup merged with the Champions Cup to form the FIBA Europe Cup, which was thereafter renamed FIBA EuroCup Challenge.
Teams allocation 1st, 2nd, etc.: Club's domestic league position after playoffs.
+Conference NorthRegular season Asker Aliens (1st) Bayer Giants Leverkusen (4th) NTD Servis-Devon Ulriken Eagles (2nd) DJK Würzburg (9th) ECM Nymburk (3rd) Kongsberg Penguins (4th) Kaposvari Klima-Vill (3rd) TTÜ-A. Le Coq (1st) Tromsø Storm (5th) Albacomp UPC (5th) Dinamo Tbilisi (2nd) Honka Playboys (1st) Azovmash (3rd) ESO Lučenec (3rd) Lappeenrannan NMKY (6th) Khimik (1st, HL)
+Conference SouthRegular season EKA AEL Limassol (3rd) Igokea (5th) Nikol Fert (3rd) Apollon Limassol (4th) Hercegovac (6th) Žito Vardar (5th) ENAD Nicosia (6th) Brotnjo (7th) West Petrom Arad (1st) Zrinjevac (7th) Hapoel Galil Elyon (7th)
Conference North Regular season Group A
Group B
Group C
Group D
Group E
Play-offs The winner of the play-offs qualified for the FIBA Europe Regional Challenge Cup Final Four.
2002–03 FIBA North Regional Challenge Cup Azovmash 1st title
Conference South Regular season Group A
Group B
Group C
Play-offs The winner of the play-offs qualified for the FIBA Europe Regional Challenge Cup Final Four.
2002–03 FIBA South Regional Challenge Cup AEL Limassol 1st title
Finals YearFinalThird and fourth placeChampionScoreSecond place3rd4th2002–03 DetailsNorth Conf.South Conf. Mariupol EKA AELNorth Conf.South Conf.88 –6192–82North Conf.South Conf. Bayer LeverkusenIgokeaNorth ConferenceSouth Conf. Kaposvári Pizza Express ApollonNorth Conf.South Conf. Khimik West Petrom Arad
Finals MVP Season Player Club Duane Woodward EKA AEL
Winning rosters FIBA Europe Regional Challenge Cup:
North Conference: 2002–03 Azovmash Mariupol
Volodymyr Gurtovyy, Andriy Kapinos, Andriy Botichev, Oleksandr Skutyelnik, Igor Kharchenko, Sergiy Moskalenko, Petro Podtykan, Yevhenii Annienkov, Dmytro Briantsev (Head Coach: Andrij Podkovyrov)
South Conference: 2002–03 EKA AEL Limassol Dimitris Prokopiou, Marcos Asonitis, Georgios Kouzapas, Michalis Kounounis, Davor Kurilic, Konstantinos Perentos, Ranko Velimirovic, David Michael Van Dyke, Christos Spyrou, Duane Woodward (Head Coach: Dragan Raca).
See also 2002-03 FIBA Europe Champions Cup FIBA Europe Conference South FIBA Europe Conference North
References
External links FIBA Europe website