FIBA EuroChallenge
| Primary logo (2013–2015)[1] | |
| Formerly | FIBA Europe League (2003–2005) FIBA EuroCup (2005–2008) |
|---|---|
| Sport | Basketball |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Ceased | 2015 |
| Replaced by | FIBA Europe Cup |
| Motto | We Are Basketball |
| No. of teams | 32 |
| Country | FIBA Europe member associations |
| Continent | Europe FIBA Europe (Europe) |
| Last champion(s) | France Nanterre (1st title) |
| Most titles | 12 teams (1 title each) |
| Level on pyramid | 3 (2004–15) |
| Promotion to | EuroCup (finalists) |
| Official website | EuroChallenge |
FIBA EuroChallenge (called the FIBA Europe League in 2003–05, and FIBA EuroCup in 2005–08)[2] 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.[3]
History
[edit ]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 Basketball Champions League (BCL), in an attempt to compete with the EuroCup.[4]
Final Fours
[edit ]Finals/Final Four MVP award winners (2004–2015)
[edit ]Records and statistics
[edit ]Performances by club
[edit ]
| Club | Won | Runner-up | Years won | Years runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russia Krasnye Krylia Samara | 1 | 1 | 2013 | 2010 |
| France Nanterre | 1 | 0 | 2015 | – |
| Italy Pallacanestro Reggiana | 1 | 0 | 2014 | – |
| Turkey Beşiktaş | 1 | 0 | 2012 | – |
| Slovenia Krka Novo mesto | 1 | 0 | 2011 | – |
| Germany BG Göttingen | 1 | 0 | 2010 | – |
| Italy Virtus Bologna | 1 | 0 | 2009 | – |
| Latvia Barons LMT | 1 | 0 | 2008 | – |
| Spain Girona | 1 | 0 | 2007 | – |
| Spain Joventut Badalona | 1 | 0 | 2006 | – |
| Russia Dyanmo Saint Petersburg | 1 | 0 | 2005 | – |
| Russia UNICS Kazan | 1 | 0 | 2004 | – |
| Greece Maroussi | 0 | 1 | – | 2004 |
| Ukraine Kyiv | 0 | 1 | – | 2005 |
| Russia Khimki | 0 | 1 | – | 2006 |
| Ukraine Azovmash | 0 | 1 | – | 2007 |
| Belgium Dexia Mons-Hainaut | 0 | 1 | – | 2008 |
| France Cholet | 0 | 1 | – | 2009 |
| Russia Lokomotiv Kuban | 0 | 1 | – | 2011 |
| France Élan Chalon | 0 | 1 | – | 2012 |
| Turkey Pınar Karşıyaka | 0 | 1 | – | 2013 |
| Russia Triumph Lyubertsy | 0 | 1 | – | 2014 |
| Turkey Trabzonspor | 0 | 1 | – | 2015 |
| Total | 12 | 12 |
Performances by country
[edit ]| Country | Won | Runner-up | Winning clubs | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russia Russia | 3 | 4 | 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) |
| Italy Italy | 2 | 0 | Virtus Bologna (1), Pallacanestro Reggiana (1) | – |
| Spain Spain | 2 | 0 | CB Girona (1), Joventut Badalona (1) | – |
| France France | 1 | 2 | JSF Nanterre (1) | Élan Chalon (1), Cholet Basket (1) |
| Turkey Turkey | 1 | 2 | Beşiktaş (1) | Pınar Karşıyaka (1), Trabzonspor (1) |
| Germany Germany | 1 | 0 | BG Göttingen (1) | – |
| Latvia Latvia | 1 | 0 | Barons LMT (1) | – |
| Slovenia Slovenia | 1 | 0 | KK Krka (1) | – |
| Ukraine Ukraine | 0 | 2 | – | BC Kyiv (1), BC Azovmash (1) |
| Greece Greece | 0 | 1 | – | Maroussi B.C. (1) |
| Belgium Belgium | 0 | 1 | – | Dexia Mons-Hainaut (1) |
| Total | 12 | 12 |
Individual records and statistical leaders
[edit ]All-Star Game
[edit ]Winning rosters
[edit ]FIBA Europe League
[edit ]FIBA EuroCup
[edit ]FIBA EuroChallenge
[edit ]See also
[edit ]References and notes
[edit ]- ^ "EuroChallenge Logo Unveiled | FIBA Europe".
- ^ "ULEB, FIBA Europe announce new competitions names, formats – News – Welcome to Eurocup". Archived from the original on 2008年07月22日. Retrieved 2008年07月03日.
- ^ "FIBA Europe Board pushes ahead with attractive club competitions model - FIBA.basketball". Archived from the original on March 10, 2018.
- ^ "FIBA Europe Board pushes ahead with attractive club competitions model - FIBA.basketball". Archived from the original on March 10, 2018.