2018 Basketball Champions League Final Four


The 2018 Basketball Champions League Final Four was the second concluding Basketball Champions League Final Four tournament. It was the concluding phase of the 2017–18 Basketball Champions League season, which marked the second season of Basketball Champions League. The Final Four took place on 4–6 May 2018. The O.A.C.A. Olympic Indoor Hall in Athens, home arena of hosts AEK Athens, hosted the tournament. AEK won the league title after defeating Monaco in the [|final].

Venue

On 5 April 2018, the O.A.C.A. Olympic Indoor Hall in Athens, Greece was announced as the venue of the 2018 Final Four. AEK Athens, which qualified for the Final Four on 4 April, would serve as host. The arena was completed in 1995, and was the largest indoor venue in use for sporting events at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. It is located in the Athens suburb of Marousi. It is considered to be one of the biggest and most modern indoor sports arenas in all of Europe.

Athens
O.A.C.A. Olympic Indoor Hall
Capacity: 18,989

Draw

The draw for the pairings for the Final Four was held on 12 April 2018.

Teams

Road to the Final Four

Background

MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg

Ludwigsburg qualified for its first ever final phase of a European competition, as in the 2016–17 season they were eliminated by Banvit on a buzzer-beater. In the Basketball Bundesliga, Riesen was having a solid year as it was battling for playoff position. In the BCL play-offs, Riesen eliminated two German sides, EWE Baskets Oldenburg and medi Bayreuth in order to advance to the final four.

Monaco

Monaco was at the top of the standings in its domestic Pro A season. In February, Monaco won the Leaders Cup for its third consecutive time. In the previous season, the team also qualified for the Final Four but was eliminated in the semi-finals, by runners-up Banvit.

AEK Athens

AEK was having a successful season as well, as the team captured its fourth Greek Cup title, while beating EuroLeague teams Olympiacos and Panathinaikos on the way. AEK had a remarkable path to the final four, as it was nearly eliminated in the round of 16 but was saved by a three-pointer by Kevin Punter to defeat Czech side ČEZ Nymburk. In the quarter-finals, AEK eliminated French side SIG Strasbourg.
Guard Manny Harris was named the Basketball Champions League MVP as well.

UCAM Murcia

In its first BCL season, and just its second year ever playing in European competitions, Murcia eliminated the defending champions Iberostar Tenerife in the round of 16. In the quarter-finals, Pınar Karşıyaka was defeated. In the 2017–18 ACB season, Murcia was close to qualifying to the playoffs.

Bracket

Semifinals

MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg vs Monaco

AEK Athens vs UCAM Murcia

Third place game

Final