2007: Panathinaikos Athens (GRE) - CSKA Moscow (RUS)
The Greens defeated defending champion CSKA Moscow 93-91 in a thrilling final at Athens Olympic Indoor Hall (OAKA) in the Greek capital on Sunday to take their first title in five years. In front of a very green sold-out crowd, Panathinaikos captain Fragiskos Alvertis raised the new Euroleague Basketball trophy as the proud club celebrated its fourth Euroleague title -- the most of any team in the Final Four era. Final Four MVP Dimitris Diamantidis scored 15 points and displayed the needed leadership to take his team to glory.
Diamantidis was one of six Panathinaikos players to score in double figures. Ramunas Siskauskas, who tied a Euroleague final game record with 12 free throws made and set another with 17 attempted, shined with 20 points and 5 assists, Dejan Tomasevic added 16, Mike Batiste and Milos Vujanic had 12 each and Nikos Hatzivrettas posted 10. Despite a game widely expected to be a defensive struggle, the final resulted in a high-scoring thriller that went to the very end. Records were set by Panathinaikos for most free throws made (38) and attempted (46) in a final. The greens also matched a final record for most points scored in the second quarter with 28. The title gives coach Zeljko Obradovic his record sixth Euroleague title, while Alvertis joins six other players on the all-time list with four Euroleague crowns.
Meanwhile, CSKA fell short in its bid to become the second straight team to win back-to-back titles. Newly crowned Euroleague MVP Theodoros Papaloukas did his best to carry the outgoing champs, scoring a career-high 23 points on 9-of-10 from the field to go with 8 assists, but it wasn't enough. Matjaz Smodis finished with 18 points and Trajan Langdon, who was instrumental in CSKA's late rally with 11 fourth-quarter points, wound up with 16. J.R. Holden added 11.
