EuroBasket 2007
Russia won EuroBasket 2007 on the 16th of September 2007, defeating hosts Spain 60-59 in the championship final. The 35th FIBA EuroBasket ran from the 3rd to the 16th of September across five Spanish cities. Sixteen national teams competed under FIBA Europe, the sport's continental governing body. Andrei Kirilenko of Russia was voted the tournament's most valuable player. Russia had not held a European title since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The championship also served as Europe's qualifier for the 2008 Summer Olympics, with direct berths reserved for the champion and the runner-up. Which nations would secure those Olympic places was still unresolved when the opening game began. The same uncertainty applied to countries that came close but missed out.
The Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad de Madrid, with 15,500 seats, hosted the knockout stages and the final. First opened in 1960 and re-opened in 2005, it was the tournament's oldest and largest venue. A second Madrid hall, the Madrid Arena, seated 10,500 and had opened in 2002; it handled the second-round games. Seville's Palacio Municipal de Deportes San Pablo, opened in 1988, held 10,000 spectators for Group B. Granada's Palacio Municipal de Deportes de Granada, opened in 1991, accommodated 7,500 for Group A. In Palma de Mallorca, the Palma Arena had just opened in 2007 with 6,000 seats and staged Group C. The smallest venue was Alicante's Centro de Tecnificación de Alicante, opened in 1993 with 5,425 seats, assigned to Group D. The draw that placed teams in those cities had taken place in Madrid on the 19th of October 2006.
Nine berths were settled outside the qualifying rounds: one for the host nation, eight for participants in the 2006 FIBA World Championship. That competition ran from the 19th of August to the 3rd of September 2006. Six further spots came through a qualifying round held from the 31st of August to the 16th of September 2006. The final berth was filled by an additional qualifying round that ended on the 31st of August 2007.
Four preliminary groups sorted the field, with the top three from each group advancing to a second round. The twelve survivors split into two new groups of six. Results and standings from the preliminary round carried forward, so a team's first-stage record followed it into the second. The top four from the second round advanced to the knockout quarterfinals. Semifinal losers and the teams in the fifth-place playoff were both guaranteed places at the 2008 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament before the competition began.
Andrei Kirilenko scored 17 points in 30 minutes for Russia in the final. He converted 6 of 7 free throws, made 4 of 6 two-point attempts, and pulled down 5 rebounds. Victor Khryapa played 35 minutes and claimed 12 rebounds with 4 assists. Aleksey Savrasenko added 10 points in 24 minutes. Jon Robert Holden played 39 minutes, the most of any Russian in the game. David Blatt coached Russia.
Pau Gasol scored 14 points for Spain in 33 minutes and secured 14 rebounds. José Calderón posted 15 points, hitting 5 of 7 three-point attempts in 28 minutes. Jorge Garbajosa contributed 8 points in 18 minutes. Marc Gasol scored 5 points in 6 minutes. Pepu Hernández coached Spain.
Russia converted 11 of 15 free throws; Spain made 15 of 26 attempts. Spain gathered 43 total rebounds to Russia's 38. Russia finished with 13 assists against Spain's 11. Nikita Shabalkin and Sergei Bykov did not play a minute for Russia in the final.
Dirk Nowitzki led all scorers with an average of 24.0 points per game across the tournament. Tony Parker registered the single-game high with 36 points in one match. Andris Biedriņš grabbed 18 rebounds in a single game, the most of any player. Łukasz Koszarek produced 11 assists in one game. Andrei Kirilenko and Zoran Planinić each recorded 7 steals in a single game, the joint tournament high.
Yaniv Green led the rebounding charts with 9.3 per game. Šarūnas Jasikevičius paced the assists at 5.6 per game. Kirilenko topped steals at 2.2 per game and tied for second in blocks at 1.8. Radoslav Nesterović led in blocks at 1.9 per game.
The All-Tournament Team named five players: José Calderón, Ramūnas Šiškauskas, Andrei Kirilenko, Dirk Nowitzki, and Pau Gasol. Kirilenko was the only Russian on that list. Jon Robert Holden averaged 35.3 minutes per game across the full tournament, the highest figure of any player in the field.
Lithuania received a direct berth to the 2008 Summer Olympics without playing in the final, through a provision in the EuroBasket 2007 rules. Spain had already qualified for the 2008 Games as the reigning world champions. The rules included a clause for exactly this scenario. If Spain reached the final, the third-placed team would receive a direct Olympic berth. Spain reached the final, and Lithuania, finishing third, claimed that berth. Seventh-place Slovenia advanced to the FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2008. Lithuania ended the tournament with an 8-1 record, matching Russia's own mark. Spain's overall record was 7-2, the only finish in the top three with two defeats. Slovenia closed at 6-3. That rulebook clause, written before the qualifying process began, determined the Olympic paths of teams that never played in the championship game.
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Common questions
Who won EuroBasket 2007?
Russia won EuroBasket 2007, defeating Spain 60-59 in the final on the 16th of September 2007. The victory was Russia's first European championship title since the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Who was the MVP of EuroBasket 2007?
Andrei Kirilenko of Russia was voted the most valuable player of EuroBasket 2007. He was also selected for the All-Tournament Team, which included José Calderón, Ramūnas Šiškauskas, Dirk Nowitzki, and Pau Gasol.
Where was EuroBasket 2007 held?
EuroBasket 2007 was held in Spain from the 3rd to the 16th of September 2007. Games took place across five cities - Alicante, Granada, Madrid, Palma de Mallorca, and Seville - using six different arenas.
Which teams qualified for the 2008 Summer Olympics at EuroBasket 2007?
Russia qualified for the 2008 Summer Olympics by winning EuroBasket 2007. Lithuania received a direct Olympic berth as the third-placed team because Spain, the runner-up, had already qualified as the reigning world champions. Seventh-place Slovenia advanced to the FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2008.
Who was the leading scorer at EuroBasket 2007?
Dirk Nowitzki led all players in scoring at EuroBasket 2007, averaging 24.0 points per game. Tony Parker set the individual single-game record with 36 points in one match.
What was the score of the EuroBasket 2007 final?
Russia defeated Spain 60-59 in the EuroBasket 2007 final on the 16th of September 2007. Andrei Kirilenko scored 17 points for Russia, while José Calderón led Spain with 15 points, all scored from three-point range on 5 of 7 attempts.
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