The 1960–61 FIBA European Champions Cup was the fourth season of the European top-tier level professional basketball club competition FIBA European Champions Cup (now called EuroLeague). It was won by CSKA Moscow, after they defeated Rīgas ASK, the reigning three-time defending champions, and the first major dynasty of European professional club basketball . CSKA lost the first game 66–61, but won the second 87–62, and thus became the fourth straight European champions from the Soviet Union League.
Competition system 24 teams. European national domestic league champions, plus the then current FIBA European Champions Cup title holders only, playing in a tournament system. The Finals were a two-game home and away aggregate.
First round
Second round
*The second leg was cancelled after the Yugoslavian police refused to guarantee the safety of the Belgian team, whose members received serious threats upon arrival to Belgrade, as a result of the mysterious death of Patrice Lumumba, Prime Minister of Congo, on February 11, 1961. The Soviet government, an ally to Lumumba, blamed the Belgian secret service as the instigator of his murder in the former Belgian colony, and this translated into several riots in the communist countries against the Belgian interests. Since the second leg could not be played, Antwerpse received a 2–0 w.o. in this game and qualified for the next round.
Automatically qualified to the quarter-finals Rīgas ASK (title holder)
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Finals
1st leg:Daugava Stadion, Rīga, 14 July 1961; Attendance:8,000
2nd leg:Lenin Stadion, Moscow, 22 July 1961; Attendance:15,000
1960–61 FIBA European Champions CupChampions CSKA Moscow 1st Title
Awards FIBA European Champions Cup Finals Top Scorer Viktor Zubkov ( CSKA Moscow)
References
External links 1960-61 FIBA European Champions Cup Review & Statistics 1960–61 FIBA European Champions Cup 1960–61 FIBA European Champions Cup
Champions Cup 1960–61 Line-ups and Stats