The 1991–92 FIBA European League, also shortened to 1991–92 FIBA EuroLeague, was the 35th installment of the European top-tier level professional club competition for basketball clubs (now called EuroLeague). The competition's Final Four was held at the Abdi İpekçi Arena in Istanbul, Turkey. It was won by Partizan, who defeated Montigalà Joventut, by a result of 71–70.
This season of the competition also marked an end to the era of European national domestic league champions only participation, as it featured an expanded competition, that included national domestic league champions, the current league title holders, and some other teams from the most important national domestic leagues. That also was in accordance with the league being renamed, and being called the FIBA European League (or shortened to FIBA EuroLeague) championship for men's clubs. This was because the new competition format was closer to a true European League in style. It was a name the competition would keep for the next four editions of the competition as well.
Competition system
33 teams (the cup title holder, national domestic league champions, and a variable number of other clubs from the most important national domestic leagues) played knock-out rounds on a home and away basis. The aggregate score of both games decided the winner. The sixteen remaining teams after the knock-out rounds entered the Regular Season Group Stage, divided into two groups of eight teams, playing a round-robin. The final standing was based on individual wins and defeats. In the case of a tie between two or more teams after the group stage, the following criteria were used to decide the final classification: 1) number of wins in one-to-one games between the teams; 2) basket average between the teams; 3) general basket average within the group. The top four teams from each group after the Regular Season Group Stage qualified for a Quarterfinal Playoff (X-pairings, best of 3 games). The four winners of the Quarterfinal Playoff qualified for the Final Stage (Final Four), which was played at a predetermined venue.
First round
Second round
Automatically qualified to the group stage Slobodna Dalmacija (title holder) Montigalà Joventut Phonola Caserta Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv
Regular season The Regular Season begins on October 31.
If teams are level on record at the end of the Regular Season, tiebreakers are applied in the following order: Head-to-head record. Head-to-head point differential. Point differential during the Regular Season. Points scored during the regular season. Sum of quotients of points scored and points allowed in each Regular Season match.
+ Key to colors Top four places in each group advance to Quarterfinals
Group A Team Pld Pts W L PF PA PD 1. Knorr Bologna 14 24 10 4 1229 1148 +81 2. FC Barcelona Banca Catalana 14 24 10 4 1205 1129 +76 3. Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv 14 24 10 4 1311 1254 +57 4. Cibona* 14 23 9 5 1287 1232 +55 5. Slobodna Dalmacija* 14 21 7 7 1271 1270 +1 6. Olympique Antibes 14 18 4 10 1291 1385 -94 7. Kalev** 14 17 3 11 1281 1354 -73 8. Phonola Caserta 14 14 3 11 1185 1288 -103 Group B Team Pld Pts W L PF PA PD 1. Montigalà Joventut 14 25 11 3 1276 1114 +162 2. Estudiantes Caja Postal 14 24 10 4 1145 1096 +49 3. Philips Milano 14 24 10 4 1264 1161 +103 4. Partizan* 14 23 9 5 1178 1077 +101 5. Bayer 04 Leverkusen 14 21 7 7 1217 1154 +63 6. Maes Pils 14 18 4 10 1112 1230 -118 7. Aris 14 17 3 11 1139 1359 -220 8. Commodore Den Helder 14 16 2 12 1050 1190 -140
* Due to ongoing Yugoslav Wars, the three former Yugoslavian teams were forced to play all their home games outside their countries. All of them chose cities in Spain as the substitute home courts: eventual winner Partizan played in Fuenlabrada, title holder Slobodna Dalmacija in A Coruña and Cibona in Puerto Real.
** Kalev played in the tournament as USSR League 1990-1991 champion.
Quarterfinals Seeded teams played games 2 and 3 at home.
Final four
Semifinals April 14, Abdi İpekçi Arena, Istanbul
3rd place game April 16, Abdi İpekçi Arena, Istanbul
Final April 16, Abdi İpekçi Arena, Istanbul
1991–92 FIBA European LeagueChampions Partizan 1st Title
Final standings Team Partizan Montigalà Joventut Philips Milano Estudiantes Argentaria
Awards Award Player Club Ref. Season Top Scorer Nikos Galis Aris Final Four MVP Predrag Danilović Partizan Finals Top Scorer Predrag Danilović Partizan
1992 FIBA European League All-Final Four Team
Position Player Club Ref. Point guard Aleksandar Djordjevic Partizan Shooting guard Predrag Danilović (MVP) Partizan Small forward Jordi Villacampa Montigalà Joventut Power forward Harold Pressley Montigalà Joventut Center Slaviša Koprivica Partizan
See also
1991-92 FIBA European Cup 1991-92 FIBA Korać Cup
References
External links 1991–92 FIBA European League