By Kostas Paraskevopoulos/ info@eurohoops.net
The Final Four of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague is heading to Abu Dhabi for the first time in league history.
On Friday, Panathinaikos Aktor against Fenerbahce Beko at 17:00 CET and Olympiacos against AS Monaco at 20:00 CET shape the schedule of the Semifinals.
Eurohoops made sure to note all great individual Final Four records in the modern history of the league, since 2002.
Points – Trajan Langdon
We start with scoring, where Trajan Langdon has held the record since 2010, when CSKA ranked third with a narrow win, 90-88, over Partizan in Paris.
The American guard was unstoppable in this third-place game, scoring 32 points (12/14 FT, 4/6 2PTS, 4/8 3PTS) and remains at the top of the list.
He is followed by Nando De Colo and Shane Larkin. The French guard had 30 points in CSKA’s 88-81 semifinal victory over Lokomotiv Kuban. The American guard also scored 30 points in Anadolu Efes‘ 92-73 semifinal win over Fenerbahce in 2019.
Rebounds – Walter Tavares / Maceo Baston / David Andersen
As for rebounds, three players share first place. The most recent example is Real Madrid center, Walter Tavares, collecting 15 total rebounds (11 defensive – 4 offensive) in 2023 in Kaunas, in a win, 78-66, against FC Barcelona (78-66) in the Semifinals.
The first to grab 15 rebounds (10 defensive – 5 offensive) was David Andersen in 2005 in the third-place game of the Final Four in Moscow, in CSKA‘s loss, 94-91, to Panathinaikos. Maceo Baston had 15 rebounds (10 defensive – 5 offensive) in 2006, as Maccabi fell to CSKA, 73-69, in the Final in Prague.
In defensive rebounds, Shaun Stonerook pulled down 13 in 2011 for Siena in a Semifinals loss to Panathinaikos, 77-69. In offensive rebounds, Anthony Randolph had eight in 2016 for Lokomotiv Kuban in a Semifinals loss to CSKA, 88-81. Tavares grabbed eight offensive rebounds in 2022 for Madrid in a loss, 58-57, to Efes in the Belgrade Final.
Assists – Facundo Campazzo
Facundo Campazzo is the Final Four record-holder in assists. The Argentine point guard dished out 15 dimes in 2019, helping Madrid beat Fenerbahce, 94-75, in the third-place affair.
Nick Calathes is second behind 13 assists in 2022, in Barca’s win, 84-74, versus Olympiacos in the third-place game. Entering the top three with 12 assists in 2008, Terrell McIntyre lifted Siena over Baskonia, 97-93, in the third-place game.
Steals – Aaron Jackson
The record for the most steals in a single Final Four contest belongs to Aaron Jackson since 2015. The American guard of CSKA recorded seven as his side fell, 70-68, to Olympiacos in the Semifinals in Madrid.
The next closest is Chuck Eidson with six steals in the 2011 Semifinals, when Maccabi defeated Madrid, 82-63.
Blocks – Maceo Baston
Resurfacing following the rebounds list, Maceo Baston also tops the blocks list, but without company. He registered six blocks in the 2006 Final Four as Maccabi Elite prevailed, 85-70, over Tau Ceramica in the Semifinals.
Two players sit in second place, with five rejections apiece. Gregor Fucka in Barcelona’s losing effort, 84-75, against CSKA in the 2008 Semifinals, and Ekpe Udoh in Fener’s 80-64 victory versus Olympiacos in the 2017 Final in Istanbul.
Turnovers – Marcus Brown
Marcus Brown holds the record for the most turnovers. The American guard committed seven in CSKA‘s 94-91 loss to Panathinaikos in the third-place game in 2005.
A total of ten other players are placed second. The most recent is Bogdan Bogdanovic in 2017 for Fener in a semifinal win, 84-75, over Madrid.
Free throws – Sani Becirovic
Sani Becirovic, who is currently the sporting director of Panathinaikos, holds the record for the most free throws in a single Final Four game. He had 14 in the Semifinals in 2002, when Kinder Bologna defeated Benetton Treviso, 90-82. Making all of his points from the charity stripe, 14/16, placed him first on the list.
Nando De Colo is second with 13/14 in a CSKA win, 95-90, versus Madrid in the Semifinals in 2019.
In the success rate, six players made all of their free throws when attempting at least ten. Shane Larkin with Efes in 2021, Malcolm Delaney with Lokomotiv Kuban in 2016, Marcus Brown with CSKA in 2004, and Jorge Garbajosa with Benetton Treviso in 2003 tucked in 12/12. Also, Romain Sato with Siena in 2008, and Sarunas Jasikevicius with Maccabi in 2004 had 10/10.
Two-pointers – Gustavo Ayon
Our next stop is at made two-pointers. Gustavo Ayon had 11/11 for Madrid in a win, 94-75, over Fener in the third-place game of the 2019 Final Four. Mike Batiste follows with 10/10 two-pointers for Panathinaikos in a win, 94-91, against CSKA in the third-place game of the 2005 installment.
Two former CSKA players also went 100%. Will Clyburn connected 9/9 in 2021 in a semifinal loss, 89-86, versus Efes, and David Andersen had 8/8 in a semifinal win, 83-79, over Baskonia in 2008.
Three-pointers – Darius Adams / Terrell McIntyre
Reviewing the hottest three-point displays, two players tucked in six triples in a single Final Four contest. Terrell McIntyre went 6/14 for Siena in a loss, 92-85, to Maccabi in the 2008 Semifinals. In 2016, in the third-place game, Darius Adams connected 6/12 as Laboral Kutxa fell to Lokomotiv Kuban, 85-75.
Hitting 5/6 and 83.3% shape the record for the highest percentage from beyond the arc. It was Isaiah Canaan in an Olympiacos loss to Madrid, 79-78, in the 2023 Final, K.C. Rivers in Madrid’s win, 96-87, against Fener in the 2015 Semifinals, and Marko Tusek for Unicaja Malaga in a win, 76-74, over Tau Ceramica in the third-place game in 2007.
PIR – Shane Larkin
The highest Performance Index Rating was delivered by Shane Larkin in 2019. The American-born naturalized Turkish went for a PIR of 43 with Efes taking down Fenerbahce, 92-73, in the Semifinals. He put in 30 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists.
Two players, Walter Tavares in the 2023 Semifinals as Madrid bested Barcelona, 78-66, and Nikola Mirotic in the 2022 Semifinals as Barca lost to its archrival, 86-83, are tied in second place with 39.