Spain is well known in basketball because they are very visible in tournaments and are threat to some of the countries.
Spain’s determination in winning football game is very much present in basketball games. Spain also competes internationally in basketball. We will be discussing Spain’s achievements in basketball.
But first,
What is Basketball in Spain?
Basketball in Spain is organized in a way similar to football. The Spanish basketball league (ACB) Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto (English: Basketball Clubs’ Association) is divided into divisions linked by the system of promotion and relegation. The top flight is the ACB Division.
In each division, a team plays all other teams twice, once at home and once away, during the regular season. The top eight teams at the end of the regular season play in the Final Play-off competing for the title of Spanish ACB Champion. The champion and other top teams play in the various European leagues and championships.
The Spanish league teams compete in Europe under ULEB most notably in the Euroleague and ULEB cup as well as under FIBA Europe.
Spains achievments in Basketball on Eurobasket
The first game in the history of the selection was a friendly game before the 1935 Eurobasket, where Spain faced the selection of Portugal. This event, which was held in Geneva in the summer of year 1935 was the start of Eurobasket in history.
Spain was able to finish 2nd and qualified for the1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin where basketball was introduced for the first time. After this, the team disappeared from the EuroBasket competition for over 20 years and reappeared at the EuroBasket 1959 in Turkey, where it finished 15th.
In the following years, the selection slowly but surely worked its way up into the medal ranks again and appeared on the podium six more times between 1959 and 2007. Then Spain came to host the 2007 Eurobasket which was held in Madrid, Palma de Mallorca, Alicante, Seville and Granada. At this competition the same 12 players that won the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan made it through to the final.
This increased expectations for the Spanish national team to become the first national team to win the first Eurobasket right after having won the previous FIBA World Championship. However, Spain lost the final against Russia with a tight score of 59-60 through a basket by a Russian player in the last seconds and an error of the Spaniard Pau Gasol, at the last shoot. Spain thus took the silver medal.
Spain has won nine Eurobasket medals: one gold, six silver and two bronze. at the Eurobasket 2009 Spain went to win the gold medal in this competition for the first time in its history this is considered as one of Spains achievements in basketball.
Spains achievments in Basketball specifically the FIBA world Championship is remarkably amazing. In the early years of the FIBA World Championship, Spain struggled to establish a steady presence as a competitor. Between 1950 and 1970, the team only qualified once.
Beginning in 1974 Spain developed into a serious competitor and regularly finished among the tournament’s top performers for years to come. At the 2006 FIBA World Championship, the Spanish team finally achieved the ultimate victory, the greatest success in its history. They won Gold medal on the said tournament.
Return from Spain’s achievements in Bastketball to Spanish Basketball
Return from Spain’s achievements in Bastketball to Best Basketball Tips