The 2018 Basketball Champions League (BCL) Final Four was the second Basketball Champions League tournament. It was the concluding phase of the

2017–18 Basketball Champions League The 2017–18 Basketball Champions League was the second season of the Basketball Champions League (BCL), a European-wide professional basketball competition for clubs, that was launched by FIBA. The competition began on 19 September 2017, with th ...

season.

Venue

The

O.A.C.A. Olympic Indoor Hall The O.A.C.A. Olympic Indoor Hall (honorarily named ''Nikos Galis Olympic Indoor Hall'' since 2016), which is a part of the Olympic Athletic Center of Athens (O.A.C.A.) « Spyros Louis» ( el, O.A.K.A. «Σπύρος Λούης»), was completed ...

hosted the final tournament for the first time.

Teams

Road to the Final Four

Background

MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg

Ludwigsburg qualified for its first ever final phase of a European competition, as in the 2016–17 season they were eliminated by Banvit on a buzzer-beater. In the

Basketball Bundesliga The Basketball Bundesliga (BBL) (English language: ''Federal Basketball League''), for sponsorship reasons named easyCredit BBL, is the highest level league of professional club basketball in Germany. The league comprises 18 teams. A BBL season ...

(BBL), Riesen was having a solid year as it was battling for playoff position. In the BCL play-offs, Riesen eliminated two German sides, EWE Baskets Oldenburg and

medi Bayreuth Medi Bayreuth, official stylized as medi bayreuth, is a German professional basketball club that is based in Bayreuth, Germany. It was re-founded as BBC Bayreuth in 1999. The team plays in the Basketball Bundesliga (BBL), the highest division of ...

in order to advance to the final four.

Monaco

Monaco was at the top of the standings in its domestic Pro A season. In February, Monaco won the Leaders Cup for its third consecutive time. In the previous season, the team also qualified for the Final Four but was eliminated in the semi-finals, by runners-up Banvit.

AEK Athens

AEK was having a successful season as well, as the team captured its fourth Greek Cup title, while beating EuroLeague teams Olympiacos and

Panathinaikos Panathinaikos Athlitikos Omilos ( el, Παναθηναϊκός Αθλητικός Όμιλος, literally in English: "Panathenaic Athletic Club" or Panathinaikos A.C.), also known simply as Panathinaikós , is a major Greek multi-sport club ba ...

on the way. AEK had a remarkable path to the final four, as it was nearly eliminated in the round of 16 but was saved by a three-pointer by Kevin Punter to defeat Czech side ČEZ Nymburk. In the quarter-finals, AEK eliminated French side SIG Strasbourg. Guard Manny Harris was named the

Basketball Champions League MVP The Basketball Champions League MVP, or Basketball Champions League MVP of the Season, is the annual award bestowed to the player that is deemed to be the " Most Valuable Player" during the full season of the Basketball Champions League (BCL). Th ...

as well.Harris named MVP of the season
/ref>

UCAM Murcia

In its first BCL season, and just its second year ever playing in European competitions, Murcia eliminated the defending champions

Iberostar Tenerife Club Cantera Base 1939 Canarias S.A.D., also known as Lenovo Tenerife for sponsorship reasons, is a professional basketball team that is based in San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain. Domestically, the team plays in the top level league i ...

in the round of 16. In the quarter-finals, Pınar Karşıyaka was defeated. In the

2017–18 ACB season The 2017–18 ACB season, also known as Liga Endesa for sponsorship reasons, was the 35th season of the Spanish basketball league. It started on 29 September 2017 with the first round of the regular season and ended on 19 June 2018 with the finals ...

, Murcia was close to qualifying to the playoffs.

Bracket

Semifinals

MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg vs Monaco

AEK Athens vs UCAM Murcia

Third place game

Final

References

External links

Basketball Champions League
(official website) {{DEFAULTSORT:2018 Basketball Champions League Final Four Final Four Basketball Champions League International sports competitions hosted by Greece Sports competitions in Athens