Barcelona 2008-09 Euroleague Season Review
Barcelona Return To Final Four, Look For First Title Since 2003
Apr 10, 2009
Barcelona has only raised the Euroleague trophy once in its illustrious history. But the Spanish giants are back in the Final Four looking to hoist the hardware to the Berlin skies and add the 2009 crown to the 2003 championship.
Last Final Four Appearance 2006
The last time Barcelona made it to the Final Four was in 2006 when it lost to eventual champion CSKA Moscow in the semifinals. But head coach Xavi Pascual is ready to finish off the job he started last season.
Pascual Replaces Ivanovic
Pascual replaced Dusko Ivanovic in February 2008 and brought Barcelona to the Quarterfinal Playoffs but they lost Maccabi Tel Aviv and finished the season without winning a single title.
Barca Rebuilds Squad
But Barca management made sure Pascual would have a superior squad for the team's push in 2008-09. While the team parted ways with Denis Marconato, Pepe Sanchez, Mario Kasun and Roko-Leni Ukic, Barcelona celebrated the return of Juan Carlos Navarro from one season abroad. Also new to the team were former CSKA Moscow center David Anderson, guards Victor Sada and Andre Barrett, Lobus Barton and Daniel Santiago. The top mainstays were Ersan Ilyasova, Jaka Lakovic, Gianluca Basile, Fran Vazquez as well as Jordi Trias and Roger Grimau.
Barcelona Cruise In Regular Season
Barcelona cruised through the Regular Season, winning Group B with the best record of the competition at 9-1. Pascual's men thrashed Panathinaikos by 24 points at home in Week 2 before suffering the next week their only Regular Season loss at Montepaschi Siena. Barcelona then reeled off seven straight victories, including an 11 point win at Panathinaikos and a 16-point defeat of Montepaschi in Spain.
Group Of Death In Top 16
The ACB giants were then drawn into the Top 16 Group of Death Group F with fellow Spanish powers Real Madrid as well as perennial Final Four contenders Maccabi Tel Aviv and Alba Berlin.
Barca dropped their first game by two points at Real Madrid, but then dusted away Maccabi by 20 points at home. A two-game sweep of Berlin was followed by an 11-point win at home over Real Madrid and then a 16-point demolition of Maccabi in Tel Aviv, giving Barcelona the home court advantage in the Quarterfinal Playoffs against fellow Spaniards Tau Ceramica.
Quarterfinal Playoffs Battle With Tau
In the quarters, Barcelona lost home court advantage with a nine-point Game 1 loss at home. Ilyasova and Vazquez both notched double-doubles in a 23-point Game 2 win. But Tau took a 2-1 lead with a win in Game 3 at home. With their backs against the wall, Barca extended the series with a 21-point win to set up the decisive Game 5 in Barcelona. And Ilyasova came up big again with 19 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists in a 16-point victory to send Barcelona back to the Final Four.
Ilyasova Blossoms Into Star
Ilyasova, who won't turn 22 until after the Final Four, has taken off this season, averaging 11 points and 7 rebounds including a 30-point, 11-rebound showing against Alba Berlin in the Top 16. The young star is looking to shine even brighter in the Final Four.
