After 30 years with the
classic formula of home and away games, and since 1966 a single-game
final on neutral ground, FIBA decided to change the competition
format in 1988. At that time, only one team, the champion per
country, the domestic champion, was eligible to play. After two
eliminatory rounds and an eight-team third round, the top qualifiers
advanced to the first Final Four, played from April 5 to 7 in Ghent,
Belgium. Partizan Belgrade, with a very young Dusan Vujosevic on the
bench directing Vlade Divac, Zarko Paspalj, Aleksandar Djordjevic,
Goran Grbovic, Ivo Nakic, even Zeljko Obradovic, arrived with the
top record, 10-4, ahead of the Aris Thessaloniki (9-5) of Nikos
Gallis, Panagiotis Yannakis and Slobodan Subotic. Philips Milan was
also third (9-5) with Franco Casalini on the bench leading players
like Mike D'Antoni, Mike Brown, Dino Meneghin and Bob McAdoo. In
fourth place was Maccabi Tel Aviv (8-6) with Doron Jamchy, Mickey
Berkowitz, Kevin Magee, Motti Aroesti and Kenny Barlow. Barcelona
(7-7), Saturn Cologne (5-9), Pau-Orthez (4-10) and Nashua Den Bosch
(4-10) were the teams left out of the Final Four. In the final
tournament, the experience of Milan's veterans prevailed over
Maccabi's quality, Partizan's talent and Aris's individuality.
By Euroleague
FINAL FOUR: Gand, Belgium
FINAL: Tracer Milan - Maccabi Tel-Aviv 90-84
Tracer: McAdoo 25, D'Antoni 17, Brown 17, Meneghin 5, Premier 3;
Pittis 8, Montecchi 8, Aldi 7
Maccabi: Jamchy 24, Barlow 21, Simms 15, Magee 13, Aroesti 0; Cohen
6, Berkowitz 3, Daniel 2, Lippin 0
THIRD PLACE: Partizan - Aris Thessaloniki 105-93 (48-39)
Partizan: V. Divac 31, M. Pecarski 24, Z. Paspalj 23, G. Grbovic
11, A. Djordjevic 7, I. Nakic 7, Z. Obradovic 2, M. Savovic, O.
Ignatovic, O. Popovic. Head Coach: Dusan Vujosevic
Aris: N. Galis 39, L. Subotic 18, P. Yannakis 11, G. Wiltjer 10, M.
Romanidis 7, N. Filipou 4, V. Lipiridis 4, P. Stamatis, D. Bousvaros,
Y. Doxakis. Head coach: Iannis Ioannidis
SEMIFINALS
Philips Milan - Aris Thessaloniki 87-82 (45-45)
Milan: B. McAdoo 39, R. Brown 28, D. Meneghin 7, P. Montecchi 5, R.
Pittis 4, M. D'Antoni 2, R. Premier 2, M. Governa, M. Aldi, F.
Bargna. Head Coach: Franco Casalini
Aris: N. Galis 28, L. Subotic 23, P. Yannakis 15, N. Filipou 8, G.
Wiltjer 6, V. Lipiridis 2, M. Romanidis, P. Stamatis, D. Bousvaros,
Y. Doxakis. Head Coach: Iannis Ioannidis
Maccabi Tel Aviv - Partizan Beograd 87-82 (43-44)
Maccabi: K. Magee 34, W. Sims 18, K. Barlow 12, M. Aoresti 10, D.
Jamchi 8, M. Daniel 3, M. Berkowitz 2, C. Lipin, G. Katz, I. Cohen.
Head Coach: Ralph Klein
Partizan: G. Grbovic 19, V. Divac 19, Z. Paspalj 18, M. Pecarski 8,
Z. Obradovic 8, M. Savovic 6, A. Djordjevic 2, I. Nakic 2, O.
Ignatovic, O. Popovic. Head Coach: Dusan Vujosevic
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