EBI Basketball Rules Summit panel makes broad recommendations

The Euroleague Basketball Institute's groundbreaking Basketball Rules Summit concluded yesterday in Barcelona with an expert panel of professionals in the sport making a series of recommendations to change and interpret rules in ways that make the game more exciting for fans of the Turkish Airlines Euroleague and the Eurocup.

The spirited two-day debate among 13 of the top coaches, players, referees, team and league executives, media, television and marketing experts reached a consensus on proposals to improve a range of game situations that respected the summit's goal in making the competitions cleaner, fairer and more exciting.

Among the proposals were several intended to give players more freedom of movement, such as widening the court itself and relaxing the interpretation of travelling rules, as well as more consistent application by the referees of the existing rules.

Other recommendations aim to speed up the game by shortening the time spent on existing procedures such as free throws, substitutions and timeouts.

Still other proposals are designed to enhance fairness through an increased use of instant replay in limited situations and using jump balls instead of the alternate possession arrow to resolve in-game instances of a held ball.

Finally, the group of experts urged generally a policy of interpreting certain rules, without changing them, in a way that offensive players have more freedom to move unimpeded, thereby promoting a more free-flowing and rhythmic game. 

The summit proposals that involve interpretations of existing rules will be discussed further with Turkish Airlines Euroleague Head Coaches in their annual meeting with Euroleague Basketball this week with an eye toward implementing them for the 2012-13 season. The proposals that involve rule changes will be consulted with the clubs in the Euroleague Commercial Assets General Assembly later this week, and, if approved, will subsequently be discussed with FIBA and ULEB.

"The summit panel has produced many strong ideas to make our game more spectacular, clean and fair," said Euroleague Basketball President and CEO Jordi Bertomeu. "We had a variety of truly devoted basketball professionals who see the game from different viewpoints, and their debate enlightened everyone in the room. What was paramount in this process was always keeping uppermost in our minds the fans and their need to enjoy our competitions even more. Now we have a roadmap to help that happen in the near future, and now it's time to share it with FIBA World and other governing bodies."


The Basketball Rules Summit panel consisted of former Euroleague-winning coaches Zeljko Obradovic and Ettore Messina; coaching legend Aito Garcia Reneses;  former Euroleague MVP Theo Papaloukas; Adriatic League president Rado Lorbek; Saski Baskonia club president Josean Querejeta; KK Cibona Zagreb adviser for sports and communication director Mihovil Nakic; Euroleague Basketball’s Director of Referees, Costas Rigas; veteran referee Luigi Lamonica; marketing executive Glenn Chin of Most Prolific; television producer and analyst Flavio Tranquillo; and Euroleague.net/Euroleague.TV editorial director Frank Lawlor. 


(Via Euroleague.net)

BC SPARTAK SAINT PETERSBURG SIGNS ANTHONY PJ TUCKER

BC Spartak Saint Petersburg has signed a 1 +1 deal with American Power Forward Anthony Tucker, also known as PJ Tucker. Tucker spent last season with German team Brose Baskets, BEKO BBL Champions.

Last season in 10 Euroleague games averaged 8.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. In BEKO BBL Tucker averaged 16.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1,4 assists becoming a key player to win German Bundesliga.

With experience in Hapoel Holon (MVP 2007-08), BC Donetsk, Aris and Montegranaro he will be a key addition to Jure Zdovc´s roster. Now Spartak will work hard to bring new sharp shooters to the backcourt.

Anthony Tucker (PJ Tucker)


Height: 198 cm
Weight: 102 kg
Position: Small Forward
Date of birth: 05/05/1985
Place of Birth: Ralif, North Carolina, USA
Nationality: United States
Career:


2011-2012 - BC "Brose Baskets" (Bamberg, Germany)
2010-2011 - BC "Aris" (Thessaloniki, Greece), BC "Montegranaro" (Montegranaro, Italy)
2009-2010 - BC "Donetsk" (Donetsk, Ukraine), BC "Bnei Hasharon" (Herzliya, Israel)
2008-2009 - BC "Donetsk" (Donetsk, Ukraine)
2007-2008 - BC "Hapoel Holon" (Holon, Israel)
2006-2007 - "Toronto Raptors" (Toronto, Canada)
2003-2006 - University of Texas Team


Achievements: German Champion 2012, Champion of Israel 2008, MVP Championship-2008 Israel.

The chances of Triumph Lyubertsy to play VTB United League 2012-2013, close to 100 percent

VTB United League keeps on innovating, developing and increasing the number of teams in its fourth regular season. Founded in 2008 and sponsored by VTB Bank it will feature a total of 20 teams next season. There will be a lot of expectations in 2012-13 VTB League as, for the first time, it will directly affect the distribution of the European Cup licenses.


2012/13 season will be particularly important from an organizational point of view as Russian PBL and VTB League will merge into this new tournament. Leaded by Sergei Ivanov and Andrey Shirokov,  VTB President and CEO,  they have got the support of the Euroleague. Thanks to their efforts in the future of the tournament,  the competition will move forward  to conquer new markets.


Triumph Lyubertsy , most likely, will be the nineteenth contender in next VTB League season. 
Now the question is which club will get the twentieth spot?


18 out of 20 participants of VTB United League, are already known: 


Russia: CSKA Moscow, Khimki, UNICS Kazan, Lokomotiv Kuban, Spartak Saint Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Krasnye Krylia, Enisey Krasnoyarsk.


Lithuania: Zalgiris Kaunas, Lietuvos Rytas.
Ukraine:  Azovmash Mariupol, Budivelnyk.
Latvia: VEF Riga.
Belarus: Minsk 2006.
Kazakhstan: BC Astana.
Poland:  Asecco Prokom.
Czech Republic: Basketball Nymburk.
Estonia: Kalev Kramo.


More than ten teams have requested for the two vacancies for next season. Which ones and how - directly or through qualifications - get into the tournament will be determined no later than mid-July. Meanwhile, league continues to receive and consider bids from all corners.


These are the main contenders for the two remaining spots:


Russia: Triumph Lyubertsy 
Ukraine: Donetsk, Dnipro and BC Kiev
Poland: Prokom Trefl Sopot and Zielona Gora
Lithuania: Siauliai and Neptunas
Sweden: Norrköping Dolphins.


It is almost impossible to predict which team will accompany Triumph as new members for next season. Apparently, as in previous seasons, the lucky club will be determined by qualifications and terms of a system which (along with a calendar of the main stage) will be approved by the Board of VTB League in July. That will be held  even after Turkish Airlines Euroleague Draw. 


In my opinion, BC Donetsk has many options to clinch twentieth voucher as it´s the most powerful team among the last contenders. However, LKL clubs (Siauliai and Neptunas) are working hard to get another spot in the competition.  For the following seasons, it would be quite interesting to see representatives of new countries as BC Armia of Tbilisi. The Georgian club is seriously improving  and growing as they shew this past season at FIBA Eurochallenge.


There are high expectactions in the future of this VTB United League Competition and these are the best news for Basketball fans in Europe.

EUROLEAGUE & EUROCUP TEAMS FOR NEXT SEASON

The Euroleague Commercial Assets Board met yesterday in Barcelona. The main order of business was to approve the teams that will play next season in the Turkish Airlines Euroleague, which will feature a new Top 16 round expanded to 14 games, and in the Eurocup, where the qualifying round was eliminated and a single-game final reestablished. The board also analyzed a summary of last season's sporting and fiscal success before making plans to enhance fan enjoyment and security in the future.

TURKISH AIRLINES EUROLEAGUE 2012-2013

The board approved the awarding of a new two-year A License to Italy’s most successful basketball club ever, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, to replace one that became a wild card following the sports results over the past three seasons of another Italian team, Lottomatica Roma. 

Among the B-License teams are newcomers Besiktas JK Milangaz of Turkey, Elan Chalon-sur-Saone of France and Cedevita Zagreb of Croatia. 

A wild-card C License for Alba Berlin of Germany was approved by the board, taking into consideration the importance of the German market for Euroleague Basketball and its interest in developing the basketball business in that country. 

Wild cards were also given to Bennet Cantu of Italy and Unics Kazan of Russia for the Eight-Team Turkish Airlines Euroleague Qualifying Rounds. 

The complete list of 24 teams that will participate in the 2012-13 Turkish Airlines Euroleague Regular Season is as follows: 

Anadolu Efes Istanbul	Turkey	Finalist
Asseco Prokom Gdynia	Poland	Champion
BC Khimki Moscow Region	Russia	Finalist
Besiktas JK Milangaz Istanbul	Turkey	Champion
Brose Baskets Bamberg	Germany	Champion
Caja Laboral Vitoria	Spain	Semifinalist
Cedevita Zagreb	Adriatic 1st Croatian	in Adriatic League
CSKA Moscow	Russia	Champion
EA7 Emporio Armani Milan	Italy	Finalist
Elan Chalon-sur-Saone	France	Champion
FC Barcelona Regal	Spain	Champion
Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul	Turkey	Finalist
Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius	Lithuania	Finalist
Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv	Israel	Champion
Montepaschi Siena	Italy	Champion
Olympiacos Piraeus	Greece	Champion
Panathinaikos Athens	Greece	Finalist
Partizan mt:s Belgrade	Adriatic 1st Serbian	in Adriatic League
Real Madrid	Spain	Finalist
Unicaja Malaga	Spain	9th in Regular Season
Union Olimpija Ljubljana	Adriatic 1st Slovenian	in Adriatic League
Zalgiris Kaunas	Lithuania	Champion
Alba Berlin (Wild Card)	Germany	Quarterfinalist
Winning team of Qualifying Round - -

Those teams participating in the 2012-13 Turkish Airlines Euroleague Qualifying Rounds are as follows: 

BC Donetsk Ukraine Champion Bennet Cantu (Wild Card) Italy Quarterfinalist CEZ Basketball Nymburk Czech Republic Champion Le Mans Sarthe Basket France Finalist PBC Lukoil Academic Bulgaria Champion Ratiopharm Ulm Germany Finalist Telenet BC Oostende Belgium Champion Unics Kazan (Wild Card) Russia 6th in Regular Season

The Qualifying Rounds winner advances to the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Regular Season while the other seven teams will play in the Eurocup Regular Season. 

EUROCUP 2012-2013

The competition changes in the 2012-13 Eurocup, returning to two-game home-and-away semifinals and a single-game final, were also approved by the board. Changes also included the elimination of the Qualifying Round phase of the competition, although the number of participating teams (32) remains the same. 


Those teams participating in the Eurocup Regular Season are as follows: 

Artland Dragons	Germany	Semifinalist
Azovmash Mariupol (Wild Card)	Ukraine	Finalist
Banco Di Sardegna Sassari	Italy	Semifinalist
Banvit BK Bandirma***	Turkey	Semifinalist
Belgacom Spirou Charleroi	Belgium	Finalist
Cholet Basket	France	Semifinalist
Crvena Zvezda Diva Belgrade**	Adriatic 10th	in Regular Season
EiffelTowers Den Bosch	Netherlands	Champion
Galatasaray Medical Park Istanbul	Turkey	Semifinalist
Gescrap Bilbao Basket	Spain	Quarterfinalist
Hapoel Migdal Jerusalem**	Israel	Semifinalist
KK Buducnost VOLI Podgorica	Adriatic 4th	After FinalFour
KK Cibona Zagreb**	Adriatic 7th	in Regular Season
Lagun Aro San Sebastian	Spain	Quarterfinalist
Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar	Russia	3rd Place
Orleans	France	Semifinalist
Panionios On Telecoms Athens	Greece	3rd Place
Rudupis Prienai***	Lithuania	3rd Place
s.Oliver Baskets Wuerzburg	Germany	Semifinalist
Spartak St. Petersburg	Russia	6th after Playoffs
Trefl Sopot	Poland	Finalist
Triumph Lyubertsy	Russia	4th Place
Valencia Basket	Spain	Semifinalist
VAP Kolossos Rhodes	Greece	4th Place
VEF Riga	Latvia	Champion
+7 Teams from Euroleague	Qualifying	Rounds

** Wildcards coming after the renouncement of teams: Maccabi Ashdod, Scavolini Siviglia Pesaro and HKK Siroki WWin.

*** Wildcards coming due to the 2011-12 EuroChallenge champion and runner-up - Besiktas JK Milangaz Istanbul of Turkey, Elan Chalon-sur-Saone of France - qualifying for the 2012-13 Turkish Airlines Euroleague Regular Season. 

Finally, the board looked ahead to the next Final Four at O2 in London, the 2012 Olympic Games basketball venue. Board members reasoned that London is a strategically important market for Euroleague Basketball, due to its commercial possibilities as well as the benefits of having the partnership with AEG grow. Euroleague Basketball directors have already held organizational meetings and are actively working on making the next edition of the Final Four better than previous editions. 

(via Euroleague.net)

Eurocup 2012-2013, back to former ULEB Cup format

Euroleague Basketball and FIBA Europe have decided very important changes for the 2012-2013 Eurocup.

Both organizing bodies have agreed that the 2012-13 Eurocup will have some changes compared to recent editions. Following the Euroleague Commercial Assets (ECA) Shareholders Executive Board Meeting held on March 5 2012, the proposed competition system for the 2012-13 season that will require approval by the ECA Shareholders Meeting on July 5 2012 will include a single game final, home and away semi-finals, and will not include a Qualifying Round. 

In the last five seasons, the Eurocup champion has been decided in tournament format with either eight (Torino 2008 & 2009) or four teams (Vitoria 2010, Treviso 2011, Khimki 2012). 

Under the new proposal, the title would be decided in a single-game, one-day event, as it was between 2004 and 2007, when the Eurocup was known as the ULEB Cup.

The Eurocup Qualifying Rounds last season saw the winners of eight, home and away two-game series playing in the Regular Season. Now, a total of 25 teams will be qualified directly through the combined Euroleague + Eurocup table approved at the ECA Shareholders Meeting. An additional 7 teams will join the Eurocup Regular Season after competing in the Euroleague Qualifying Rounds, which feature eight teams. The Turkish Airlines Euroleague Qualifying Rounds winner advances to that competition’s regular season, while the other 7 teams take a place in the Eurocup Regular Season.

These modifications, which have been debated with FIBA Europe, and who have agreed to the change at their most recent Board Meeting on June 15 2012.

(via eurocupbasketball)

Breaking News: Lokomotiv Kuban tabs Valery Likhodey

Evgeniy Pashutin (new Lokomotiv Kuban head coach) gets one of the Most Improved Russian Players this season. Valery Likhodey (205-F-86) has been one of the key players for Jure Zdovc at Spartak Saint Petersburg together with Pat Beverley and Loukas Mavrokefalidis. 

The russian averaged 8.9 points and 3.3 rebounds in EuroCup games. 7.9 points, 3.0 boards in VTB League and 11.9 points, 3.5 boards in BEKO PBL.  

Regarding SPB big options to get a WC for next Euroleague season (as Jordi Bertomeu appointed last week)  it´s difficult to understand Likhodey ´s transfer. Now Jure Zdovc will have to find  both SG and SF big names as Halperin also left the club at the end of the season. 


(Via Eurobasket.com)