FIBA European League Play-Offs 1992-1993

With the new competition system remaining the same, 1993 would see some newcomers make their way through the top European competition, names that were famous in the past or would become so soon, such as PAOK Thessaloniki and Olympiakos Piraeus of Greece, Limoges of France, Benetton Treviso of Italy, Zadar of Croatia and Real Madrid of Spain. Curiously enough, the Final Four played in Athens, Greece, was formed by four of those newcomers: PAOK, Limoges, Benetton and Real Madrid. Toni Kukoc (210-F-1968), now wearing the Benetton jersey, played his fourth Final Four in five seasons, but he could not win it for a fourth time. Benetton and Real Madrid were the clear favorites, but once again, surprises arrived in the Final Four. Limoges, with Kukoc's former Jugoplastika coach, Bozidar Maljkovic (agency: BeoBasket ), on the bench, defeated the Real Madrid of Arvydas Sabonis (222-C-1964) in one semifinal. In the final, the French team beat Benetton 59-55 after imposing a game tempo known as "basket-control". At the time, Maljkovic used to say that Limoges was "a team of miners". Michael Young (200-F-1961, college: Houston) was the best scorer, Jim Bilba (199-F-1968) the big hero of the final, Willy Redden contributed 6 points and 10 boards, Jure Zdovc (195-G-1966) and Frederic Forte were the leaders on court almost without mistakes, while Richard Dacoury (195-G-1959), the biggest star of French ball, lived his time of glory. It was the first, and last, European title by a French team, a truly historical accomplishment.

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