1965–66 FIBA European Champions Cup explained

1965–66 FIBA European Champions Cup
League:FIBA European Champions Cup
Sport:Basketball
Finals:Final Four
Finals Link:1966 FIBA European Champions Cup Final Four
Finals Champ: Simmenthal Milano
Finals Runner-Up: Slavia VŠ Praha
Seasonslistnames:FIBA European Champions Cup
Prevseason Link:1964–65 FIBA European Champions Cup
Prevseason Year:1964–65
Nextseason Year:1966–67
Nextseason Link:1966–67 FIBA European Champions Cup

The 1965–66 FIBA European Champions Cup was the ninth season of the European top-tier level professional basketball club competition FIBA European Champions Cup (now called EuroLeague). It was won by Simmenthal Milano, for the first time in its history, the first of the club's three EuroLeague championships.

Simmenthal defeated Slavia VŠ Praha, by a score of 77–72, in the final of the first ever Champions Cup Final Four held in the EuroLeague competition, with two venues used: a venue in Milan, and the Palazzo dello sport arena in Bologna, Italy.[1] The Italian team, featuring future the Basketball Hall of Fame member Bill Bradley, defeated the favorites and former champs, CSKA Moscow, in the semifinal, by a score of 57–68.

Competition system

26 teams. European national domestic league champions, plus the then current FIBA European Champions Cup title holders only, playing in a tournament system. The competition culminated in a Final Four.

First round

Second round

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Quarterfinals group stage

For the first time in the competition history, the quarterfinals were played with a round-robin system, in which every Two Game series (TGS) constituted as one game for the record. A third decisive game was played if the aggregate score of the first two games was tied.

Key to colors for group standings
    Top two places in each group advance to Semifinals

Group A

Games

Standings

width=15!width=220Team !width=20Pld !width=20Pts !width=20W !width=20L !width=20PF !width=20PA !width=20PD
1. Slavia VŠ Praha3 5 2 1 490 486 +4
2. Simmenthal Milano3 5 2 1 503 476 +27
3. Racing Mechelen3 4 1 2 553 570 -17
4. Real Madrid3 4 1 2 494 508 -14
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Group B

Games

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Standings

width=15!width=220Team !width=20Pld !width=20Pts !width=20W !width=20L !width=20PF !width=20PA !width=20PD
1. CSKA Moscow3 5 2 1 453 397 +56
2. AEK3 5 2 1 413 426 -13
3. CSKA Cherveno zname3 5 2 1 498 494 +4
4. Zadar3 3 0 3 483 530 -47
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Final four

See main article: 1966 FIBA European Champions Cup Final Four.

Semifinals

March 31, Milan|}

March 30, Palazzo dello sport, Bologna|}

3rd place game

April 1, Milan|}

Final

April 1, Palazzo dello sport, Bologna|}

Final standings

width=25width=220Team
Simmenthal Milano
Slavia VŠ Praha
CSKA Moscow
AEK

Awards

FIBA European Champions Cup Finals Top Scorer

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.linguasport.com/baloncesto/internacional/clubes/c1/C1_66.htm Champions Cup 1965–66