PHASE PAGES, Semifinals 2002-03 - 2002-03

February 04, 2012

PHASE PAGES, Semifinals 2002-03

With three teams from Spain in the first ULEB Cup semifinals, the major question going in was whether that country wouldn't have the trophy sewn up before the final round. After Game 1 of both series was over, it certainly seemed that way. With 11,000 fans in the stands to push it forward, Joventut ran away with a 13-point victory over Novo Mesto behind the shooting of veteran Juan Alberto Espil. The difference was the same in Pamesa's victory over Estudiantes in their all-Spanish series opener. That was far from the end of the story, however. In Game 2, Novo Mesto rallied in the second half to a 16-point victory behind 21 points by Jamie Arnold to knock out Joventut and avoid an all-Spanish final. In their second game, before 14,000 fans in Madrid, Pamesa lost the battle to Estudiantes but only by 7 points, so therefore won the war of their semifinal. As such, the finals were set, Krka Novo Mesto vs. Pamesa Valencia for the first ULEB Cup crown.

Semifinals, Game 1

DKV Joventut and Pamesa Valencia put a foot in the ULEB Cup finals with double-digit wins in the first legs of their respective two-game semifinals series. Joventut stopped visiting Krka Novo Mesto 82-69 in front of 11,000 fans, while Pamesa downed Adecco Estudiantes 68-55. Veteran Juan Alberto Espil led Joventut with 23 points and the Joventut frontline ruled the night and owned the backboards, outrebounding Krka 40-26 overall, with bigger margins earlier in the game. In Valencia, a 12-0 third-quarter run sparked by Jose Antonio Paraiso, who led the winners with 16 points off the bench, proved to be the difference. MORE

Semifinals, Game 2

Krka Novo Mesto and Pamesa Valencia made history by becoming the first teams to advance to the ULEB Cup finals. Krka rallied in the second half to a thrilling 82-66 victory over visiting DKV Joventut to wipe away a 13-point deficit from the series opener. The hosts made their big move with a 10-0 run to open the second half. Jamie Arnold led the winners with 21 points. Pamesa lost a 75-68 decision in Madrid to Adecco Estudiantes and its 14,000, but was the big winner thanks to a 13-point win in the first leg. Big man Fabricio Oberto paced the winners with 19 points. Estudiantes led by 16 midway through the fourth quarter, but Pamesa reacted with a 1-10 run that included points by Dejan Tomasevic, who left the hospital a day earlier in order to play in the game. MORE

SEMIFINALS