Battered, bruised, and brilliant. Baxi Ferrol have brought their Cinderella story to the final of Eurocup Women. In the process, Monasterevin’s Claire Melia has become the first Irish women to reach a major club final in basketball. Emmet Ryan on an emotional night. The wine was rationed. I needed to make sure I kept enough […] The post Claire Melia, Baxi Ferrol Make History with Eurocup Final Berth appeared first on BallinEurope ..read more

It’s got the fans. It’s got the personalities. Then there are the stakes. Few rivalries in basketball can compare to that of Panathinaikos and Olympiacos. Yet, is Euroleague doing enough to build on its most marketable rivalry? The rivalry that makes the rest of Euroleague come to a standstill is renewed on Friday. Basketball in […] The post Olympiacos, Panathinaikos, and marketing a feud appeared first on BallinEurope ..read more

He’s not exactly climbing NBA draft boards but Mario Saint-Supery is getting real minutes for a contender in Europe. Emmet Ryan got a closer look at the young Spaniard on Tuesday night, in a loss for his Manresa side to Petkimspor in the Basketball Champions League. This sounds dreadfully obvious but it’s much easier to […] The post Mario Saint-Supery: A Sleeper Pick in the NBA Draft? appeared first on BallinEurope ..read more

It’s a small, by Spanish standards, town in Galicia yet it has become the focal point for Irish basketball. Claire Melia and her amazing run with Baxi Ferrol in Eurocup Women will have a lengthy impact on the sport here no matter what comes next. It’s a big sign that nobody is sick of talking […] The post What Claire Melia and Baxi Ferrol’s run means for Irish basketball appeared first on BallinEurope ..read more

With the dominance of international players in today’s game, the possibility of a European player snatching the NBA Finals MVP title feels more real than ever. Players like Nikola Jokić, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Luka Dončić are not just competing; they’re redefining how basketball is played. But does that generous helping of talent mean a European […] The post Will a European Player Claim the NBA Finals MVP This Year? appeared first on BallinEurope ..read more

BallinEurope has released its first ever feature length documentary, the first of three that will be released this season. Enemies tells the story of the rivalry between Panathinaikos and Olympiacos. Filmed in Athens in the run-up to the Euroleague clash between the sides in November at OAKA, Enemies features contributions from Aris Barkas (Eurohoops), Yannis […] The post BallinEurope releases its first ever basketball documentary appeared first on BallinEurope ..read more

There’s no prizes for guessing the top choice in this selection but Emmet Ryan has scoured the archives in hard mode. Who will join Claire Melia in this ranking of the top 5 individual singles game performances in basketball by Irish citizens. Welcome to hard mode. That’s how I’d best describe this. The easy choice […] The post The 5 Greatest Performances in Irish Basketball History appeared first on BallinEurope ..read more

There are different kinds of problems in basketball, or really sport, or actually life in general. These can be divided into bad problems and good problems. Emmet Ryan believes Olympiacos have good problems. Their win over Partizan showed that. In Euroleague, even good problems can cause headaches Despite the sterling efforts of the commentators, Olympiacos […] The post Olympiacos impress but questions remain in Euroleague chase appeared first on BallinEurope ..read more

With Poland confirming Iceland as its partner country for EuroBasket 2025 on Wednesday, we now know all four of the teams taking the slots. Emmet Ryan assesses this pairing plus those of Cyprus and Greece, Finland and Lithuania, and Latvia and Estonia It was the last piece waiting to fall into place. Who would Poland […] The post Smart moves: EuroBasket 2025 hosts select their partners appeared first on BallinEurope ..read more

Claire Melia will make history this Thursday. The BAXI Ferrol forward will become the first Irish woman to appear on the roster of a team in a semi-final of any European club basketball competition. Five men can claim that honour, Emmet Ryan explains the odd history of the other five. Basketball has a long history […] The post The other 5 – Rare company for Ireland’s Claire Melia appeared first on BallinEurope ..read more