By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
It did not take long for Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem loyals to make their presence felt in Malaga. No trip at all for noisy Unicaja supporters. And much more.
The Basketball Champions League Final Four was quick to produce an upset as Hapoel Jerusalem knocked out defending champion Lenovo Tenerife in the first Semifinal. The first Israeli club to reach the BCL championship game awaits the winner of the second semifinal between the Malaga outfit and Germany’s Telekom Baskets Bonn.
Similar to Pais Arena, the team guided by Aleksandar Dzikic was backed by traveling supporters shaping an atmosphere close to an actual home game. It helped a lot. And it certainly was a treat for neutral spectators and even Malaga residents.
Hapoel Jerusalem fans making their presence felt as the semifinal with Tenerife starts 🔴⚫️ pic.twitter.com/aD4je24osC
— Cesare Milanti (@cesaremilanti) May 12, 2023
Making their way to Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martin Carpena during the first Semifinal, the Unicaja supporters dropped usual homecourt advantage perks in the second half of Friday’s schedule.
The Martin Carpena hyped Unicaja Malaga up as they went to the locker room before the game against Telekom Baskets Bonn 💚 pic.twitter.com/RDmGCKMrXx
— Cesare Milanti (@cesaremilanti) May 12, 2023
Besides attending and boosting excitement inside the venue, fans buzzing all around the city and celebrating their respective favorite teams on the streets emerged as additional bonuses.
A river of Red in Malaga #BasketballCL pic.twitter.com/1sLrcIkllk
— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) May 12, 2023
Season-ending tournaments, mainly Final Fours with a couple of Final Eights turning up during the coronavirus pandemic, attracting passionate fans locally and from all around the European continental zone have been a theme since the inaugural season of the Champions League. From Tenerife’s Santiago Martin in 2017 and the following 2018 Final Four in Athens, the trend continues all the way to Malaga.
Photo Credit: Basketball Champions League