NORTH  EUROPEAN  2001-2002  

Lietuvos rytas won NEBL Cup 2002

Stage 2 Standings Group C

1.Ural Great 4-1 2.BC Kiev 3-3 3. Vojvodina 2-3 4.RE Koln 1-3

Group D

1.Lietuvos r. 4-1 2.Skonto 3-2 3.Pepinster 2-3 4.Rabotnicki 1-4

Group E

1.Ventspils 5-1 2.CSKA 3-3 3.Fenerbahce 2-3 4.Odessa 1-4

Group F

1.Polonia W. 3-2 2.London T. 3-2 3.Yambolgas 3-3 4.Birmingham 1-3

Stage 1 Standings Group A

1.Ventspils 7-1 2.Pepinster 5-3 3.Birmingham 5-3 4.BC Kiev 5-3 5.Great Danes 4-4 6.Samara 4-4 7.Siauliai 3-5 8.MBC 2-6 9.Alvik 08 1-7

Group B

1.Polonia W. 7-1 2.RE Koln 6-2 3.Skonto 5-2 4.Odessa 5-3 5.Kalev 4-4 6.Honka 3-5 7.Wurzburg 3-5 8.Alita 1-6 9.Grodno-93 1-7

Southern Group

1. Rabotnicki 6-2 2. Vojvodina 6-2 3. Yambolgas 3-3 4. Fenerbahce 3-3 5. Hapoel T-A 3-3 6. Levski 4-4 7. Kumanovo 3-5 8. Akademik 2-6 9. Arad 0-8

 Finals:
Lietuvos rytas – Ural Great 79-74
 3rd Place Game:
BC Ventspils – Polonia Warszawa 81-63
  Lietuvos won the title – April 25, 2002
by NEBL.com
Speedy spurts of LIETUVOS RYTAS and URAL GREAT opened up 1st quarter of the grand NEBL Final. The Vilnius squad was soon to grant their position on the home court by bursting out 3:12. Uncompromising RYTAS went to the gap of 10 (5:15) by the midst of the quarter. Thunderous ovations of the home crowd were yet to inspire LIETUVOS RYTAS aggressive offense to make it 11:22 with 2:14 remaining. A.Macijauskas slamming down efficiently led his team to a promising 1st quarter win 13:26.
High-pressured atmosphere kept the teams balancing at 15:26 with RYTAS ahead during the first minutes of the 2nd period. However, numerous fouls of the defending NEBL Champion URAL GREAT gave a way to RYTAS’ moving forwards 19:28. The Russian players switched to a quick offensive game and reduced the score 25:30 by giving a real signal to the local squad with 3 remaining. R.Javtokas cheered up the fans quickly by slamming one to go to 28:32. Followed up by R.Siskauskas perfect 2 it came to 5 again – 30:35. R.Javtokas dunked assuredly to bring the squad to halftime win 34:39.
A.Macijauskas opened up the scores by a precise 3 after 2min of the 2nd – 36:42. Keeping up pretty thorough offense the RYTAS players still secured a dangerous top 44:48 in the middle of the 3rd period. With 3 min remaining on the game clock the home squad tore off a bit more thoroughly 46:53 with the help of A.Macijauskas shot form behind thee arc. Opening 3-point successive artillery the Vilnius team was to regain a solid lead 46:56 and finish the 3rd at 52:58, though.
URAL GREAT spurted up led by P.Liadelis at the beginning of the final. Catching up quickly they got pretty much close 56:63. A.Pegushin’s 3-point shot made even better for the Russian squad 61:65, yet was soon answered by K.Sestokas’ 2 – 61:67. Shooting another “far” he turned the score to 66:72 to approach more and more close to the Trophy. Just a few decisive shots were added to win the Champs of Northern Europe 74:79.
V.Chomicius, Coach of URAL GREAT: “I feel terrible, can’t concentrate in my minds and words. We knew RYTAS perfectly well, were studying the play carefully, though didn’t managed to compete at their level.”
J.Kazlauskas, the Head Coach of LIETUVOS RYTAS: “It was a tough game against tough opponents. I’m glad we demonstrated a disciplined basketball. We were getting ready for this match very attentively, studying their style, key-players… There was some fair at a certain moment to lose, but we survived.”

  NEBL Games – March 22, 2002
FENERBAHCE(83): Comert Kuce 14, Altan Cetinkaya 5, Kenyon Weaks 22, Zaza Enden 10, Glenn Whisby 20, Baris Guney 0, Mustafa Kemal Bitim 9, Baris Suer 1, Zeki Gulay 2
ODESSA(81): Kharchenko 0, Kuznetsov 22, Pudzyrey 8, Khryapa 18, Molchanov 18, Kholopov 3, Tatarovitch 2, Choumikhine 3, Iourtaev 5, Drugachorol 2

  NEBL Open - March 10, 2002 
Kinder London Towers 93 (23,60,78) (Myers 36, White 22, Hickey 10)
Yambolgaz (BUL) 87 (25,55,71) (Zubritsky 17, Tkach 16, Grichaev 15)
Kinder London Towers went top of their NEBL Open group on Sunday evening, thanks to a 93-87 success at home to Bulgarian outfit Yambolgaz. It was the visitors who edged a close first quarter 25-23, but Towers bagged 37 second quarter points to come back into the game. Terrell Myers scored 17 second-quarter points, while John White added 14 as Towers led 60-55 at half-time. Towers maintained the pressure in the second half, to secure their third win in the NEBL. Myers finished as the game's top scorer with 36 points; Janoslav Zubritsky added 17 for Yambolgaz.

Latest Games:
Feb.28, 2002: London Towers - Polonia Warbud Warszawa 73:89
(Myers 19, Robbins 12, Allen 10 - Jurkunas 19 (4x3), Jeklin 14 (2x3), Karwowski 14, Sidor 4, Grudzinski 3 (1x3) - Havrilla 18, Taylor 10, Pacocha 5 (1x3), Tenys 2, Rospara)
Birmingham Bullets - Polonia Warbud Warszawa 81:101
(Bailey 27, Salter/Johnson 15 - Jeklin 27 (4x3), Sidor 17, Karwowski 12, Taylor 7, Havrilla 4; Jurkunas 22 (2x3), Grudzinski 8, Pacocha 4, Tenys)
Fenerbahce – Ventspils 92-87
(Damir Mrsic  25, Erdal Bibo 27, Kenyan Weaks  18, Glen Whisby 12, Zaza Enden 3, Zeki Gulay 2, Altan Cetinkaya, Baris Guney - Wilkenson  24, Vitols  3, Bagatskis 16, Skirmants 7, Rich  7, Laksa  10, Buskevics 12, Kosuskins 2, Purnis 11)

Jan.18, 2002
The last games of the NEBL Challenge Cup 2001/02 in Lahti, Finland, have finally determined 8 best "challengers" that will continue rivalries for the Championship title and 2 tickets to the NEBL. 
The 2 best teams from the tournament will face 2 teams from this year's NEBL Open 2001/02 (A8 and B8) in the Challenge Cup Final Four. 
There are 8 clubs that qualified for the 3rd Round of the Challenge Cup: 
Group A: PLANNJA BASKET, TTU - A.Le Coq 
Group B: NORRKOPING DOLPHINS, TARTU ROCK 
Group C: ECM PRAGUE, HOTRONIC TALLINN 
Group D: SUNDSVALL DRAGONS, PYRBASKET TAMPERE

    Last Games 
2002-01-17 @ Pepinster: "GO PASS PEPINSTER" - "LIETUVOS RYTAS" 97:104 
2002-01-16 @ Yambol: "YAMBOLGAZ" - "POLONIA WARBUD" 75:55 
2002-01-13 @ Moscow: "CSKA" - "VENTSPILS" 80:93 
2002-01-12 @ Vilnius: "LIETUVOS RYTAS" - "SKONTO" 98:81 
2002-01-07 @ Istanbul: "FENERBAHCE" - "CSKA" 98:96