1998–99 FIBA Saporta Cup
# 1998–99 FIBA Saporta Cup

The 1998–99 FIBA Saporta Cup was the thirty-third edition of FIBA's 2nd-tier level European-wide professional club basketball competition. It occurred between September 15, 1998, and April 13, 1999. The final was held at Zaragoza, Spain.

## Competition system

* 48 teams (national domestic cup champions, plus the best qualified teams from the most important European national domestic leagues), entered a preliminary group stage, divided into eight groups of six teams each, and played a round-robin. The final standings were based on individual wins and defeats. In the case of a tie between two or more teams, after the group stage, the following criteria were used to decide the final classification: 1) number of wins in one-to-one games between the teams; 2) basket average between the teams; 3) general basket average within the group.
* The top four teams from each group qualified for a 1/16 Final Playoff (X-pairings, home and away games), where the winners advanced further to 1/8 Finals, 1/4 Finals, and 1/2 Final.
* The Final was played at a predetermined venue.

## Country ranking

For the 1998–1999 FIBA Saporta Cup, the countries are allocated places according to their place on the FIBA country rankings, which takes into account their performance in European competitions from 1995–96 to 1997–98.

| Rank | Country | Points | Teams | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Greece | 237.000 | 2 | |
| 2 | Italy | 222.833 | 2 | |
| 3 | Spain | 194.500 | 2 | |
| 4 | Turkey | 92.833 | 2 | |
| 5 | France | 88.667 | 2 | |
| 6 | Russia | 67.732 | 2 | |
| 7 | FR Yugoslavia | 46.333 | 2 | |
| 8 | Germany | 38.500 | 2 | |
| 9 | Croatia | 35.542 | 2 | |
| 10 | Lithuania | 34.667 | 2 | |
| 11 | Slovenia | 33.714 | 2 | |
| 12 | Israel | 31.902 | 2 | |
| 13 | Poland | 21.524 | 2 | |
| 14 | Portugal | 19.794 | 2 | |
| 15 | Belgium | 15.929 | 2 | |
| 16 | Ukraine | 8.905 | 2 | -1, Budivelnyk withdrew |
| 17 | Macedonia | 6.542 | 1 | |
| 18 | Hungary | 6.429 | 1 | +1, Atomerőmű got wild card |
| 19 | Austria | 5.417 | 1 | +1, Stahlbau Oberwart got wild card |
| Rank | Country | Points | Teams | Notes |
| 20 | Czech Republic | 4.187 | 1 | |
| 21 | Cyprus | 4.083 | 1 | |
| 22 | Slovakia | 3.944 | 1 | |
| 23 | Sweden | 3.667 | 1 | |
| 24 | England | 3.611 | 1 | -1, London Leopards withdrew |
| 25 | Bulgaria | 3.361 | 1 | |
| 26 | Finland | 2.361 | 1 | |
| 27 | Netherlands | 1.889 | 1 | |
| 28 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1.722 | 1 | +1, Bosna got wild card |
| 29 | Latvia | 1.445 | 1 | +1, Ventspils got wild card |
| 30 | Estonia | 1.333 | 1 | |
| 31 | Romania | 1.056 | 1 | -1,-Dinamo București withdrew |
| 32 | Luxembourg | 0.889 | 1 | -1, Racing Luxembourg withdrew |
| 33 | Albania | 0.694 | 0 | |
| 34 | Georgia | 0.416 | 0 | |
| 35 | Switzerland | 0.278 | 0 | |
| 36 | Denmark | 0.111 | 0 | |
| 37 | Belarus | 0.056 | 0 | |
| 38 | Moldova | 0.056 | 0 | |

## Team allocation

The labels in the parentheses show how each team qualified for the place of its starting round:

* 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc.: League position after eventual Playoffs
* CW: Cup winners
* WC: Wild card

Regular season :

| AEK (4th) | Partizan (3rd) | Śląsk Wrocław (1st) | ASK Brocēni (1st) |
| - | - | - | - |
| Aris (CW) | Budućnost (CW) | Mazowszanka (CW) | Ventspils (WC) |
| Benetton Treviso (5th) | Ratiopharm Ulm (2nd) | Estrelas da Avenida (1st) | BIPA-Moda Odesa (1st) |
| Sony Milano (9th) | Trier (CW) | Ovarense Aerosoles (2nd) | MZT Boss Skopje (2nd) |
| Pinturas Bruguer Joventut (6th) | Zagreb (3rd) | Spirou (1st) | Mlékárna Kunín (2nd) |
| Pamesa Valencia (CW) | Split (5th) | Telindus Racing Antwerpen (2nd) | APOEL (1st) |
| Tofaş (4th) | Atletas (2nd) | Marc Körmend (4th) | Slovakofarma Pezinok (1st) |
| Türk Telekom (6th) | Lietuvos rytas (3rd) | Atomerőmű (WC) | Plannja (2nd) |
| Limoges CSP (2nd) | Kovinotehna Savinjska Polzela (2nd) | SÜBA Sankt Pölten (1st) | Cherno More (1st) |
| Cholet (CW) | Pivovarna Laško (3rd) | Stahlbau Oberwart (WC) | Torpan Pojat (1st) |
| Spartak Moscow (4th) | Hapoel Eilat (2nd) | Feal Široki (1st) | Hans Verkerk Keukens (1st) |
| UNICS (5th) | Hapoel Jerusalem (4th) | Bosna (WC) | Kalev (1st) |

## Preliminary group stage

Key to colors :

* Qualified to Round of 32
* Eliminated

| Group A TeamPldPtsWLPFPAPD 1. Sony Milano 101773751693+58 2. Kalev 101664764699+65 3. Kovinotehna Savinjska Polzela 101664705709−4 4. Estrelas da Avenida 101555730737−7 5. Cherno More 101337755807−52 6. Atletas 101337709769−60 | Group B TeamPldPtsWLPFPAPD 1. Cholet 101882815675+140 2. Türk Telekom 101773768722+46 3. Split 101555800760+40 4. Slovakofarma Pezinok 101555759771−12 5. MZT Boss Skopje 101337738805−67 6. Mlékárna Kunín 101228755902−147 |
| - | - |
| Group C TeamPldPtsWLPFPAPD 1. Pamesa Valencia 1020100805678+117 2. Budućnost 101664780767+13 3. Śląsk Wrocław 101555729706+23 4. ASK Brocēni 101555798815−17 5. SÜBA Sankt Pölten 101228701768−67 6. Hapoel Eilat 101228771850−79 | Group D TeamPldPtsWLPFPAPD 1. Partizan 101991850744+106 2. Pivovarna Laško 101773836803+33 3. AEK 101773757695+62 4. Atomerőmű 101337758816−58 5. Zagreb 101337701780−79 6. Torpan Pojat 101119727791−64 |
| Group E TeamPldPtsWLPFPAPD 1. Tofaş 101773774650+124 2. Hapoel Jerusalem 101773770707+63 3. Spirou 101773680682−2 4. Lietuvos rytas 101664757776−19 5. Marc Körmend 101228723841−118 6. Bosna 101119672720−48 | Group F TeamPldPtsWLPFPAPD 1. Aris 101991799637+162 2. Limoges CSP 101773711637+74 3. Telindus Racing Antwerpen 101555708736−28 4. Trier 101446741781−40 5. Plannja 101337756802−46 6. Feal Široki 101228653775−122 |
| Group G TeamPldPtsWLPFPAPD 1. Pinturas Bruguer Badalona 101991855703+152 2. Ratiopharm Ulm 101773775759+16 3. Ventspils 101555860813+47 4. Mazowszanka 101446751783−32 5. APOEL 101337689736−47 6. Spartak Moscow 101228770906−136 | Group H TeamPldPtsWLPFPAPD 1. Benetton Treviso 1020100822644+177 2. UNICS 101555757748+9 3. Ovarense Aerosoles 101446682697−15 4. Stahlbau Oberwart 101446691748−57 5. Hans Verkerk Keukens 101446593639−46 6. BIPA-Moda Odesa 101237655724−69 |

## Round of 32

| Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Slovakofarma Pezinok | 161–152 | Sony Milano | 89–77 | 72–75 |
| Split | 152–139 | Kalev | 83–77 | 69–62 |
| Kovinotehna Savinjska Polzela | 123–141 | Türk Telekom | 70–64 | 53–77 |
| Estrelas da Avenida | 114–159 | Cholet | 59–75 | 55–84 |
| Atomerőmű | 133–153 | Pamesa Valencia | 70–71 | 63–82 |
| AEK | 129–135 | Budućnost | 66–61 | 63–74 |
| Śląsk Wrocław | 149–153 | Pivovarna Laško | 81–82 | 68–71 |
| ASK Brocēni | 173–184 | Partizan | 84–97 | 89–87 |
| Trier | 140–172 | Tofaş | 70–92 | 70–80 |
| Telindus Racing Antwerpen | 133–158 | Hapoel Jerusalem | 67–64 | 66–94 |
| Spirou Charleroi | 136–130 | Limoges CSP | 60–61 | 76–69 |
| Lietuvos rytas | 149–161 | Aris | 77–76 | 72–85 |
| Stahlbau Oberwart | 130–187 | Pinturas Bruguer Badalona | 66–92 | 64–95 |
| Ovarense Aerosoles | 129–141 | Ratiopharm Ulm | 66–62 | 63–79 |
| Ventspils | 167–147 | UNICS | 88–73 | 79–74 |
| Mazowzanka | 130–145 | Benetton Treviso | 70–62 | 60–83 |

## Round of 16

| Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Budućnost | 171–149 | Slovakofarma Pezinok | 86–68 | 85–81 |
| Pivovarna Laško | 159–154 | Cholet | 77–68 | 82–86 |
| Split | 151–163 | Pamesa Valencia | 76–79 | 75–84 |
| Türk Telekom | 113–161 | Partizan | 70–85 | 43–76 |
| Ratiopharm Ulm | 135–153 | Tofaş | 65–74 | 70–79 |
| Ventspils | 137–144 | Aris | 73–65 | 64–79 |
| Hapoel Jerusalem | 155–166 | Pinturas Bruguer Badalona | 81–73 | 74–93 |
| Spirou Charleroi | 127–145 | Benetton Treviso | 66–70 | 61–75 |

## Quarterfinals

| Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Budućnost | 149–129 | Tofaş | 67–65 | 82–64 |
| Aris | 158–144 | Pivovarna Laško | 95–72 | 63–72 |
| Pamesa Valencia | 123–119 | Pinturas Bruguer Badalona | 57–50 | 66–69 |
| Benetton Treviso | 163–150 | Partizan | 90–77 | 73–73 |

## Semifinals

| Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Benetton Treviso | 96–60 | Budućnost | 76–60 | 20–0* |
| Pamesa Valencia | 128–114 | Aris | 70–64 | 58–50 |

*The second leg which was scheduled to be played in Podgorica, was cancelled due to the war situation in Yugoslavia. Although FIBA accepted a neutral venue (Thessaloniki, Greece) to play this game, the Yugoslav players couldn't get out of their country because of the military conflict, and therefore FIBA definitely cancelled this match and awarded a forfeit (20–0) to Benetton Treviso.

## Final

April 13, Pabellón Príncipe Felipe, Zaragoza

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| - | - | - |
| Benetton Treviso | 64–60 | Pamesa Valencia |

* 1998–99 FIBA Saporta Cup Champions
* Benetton Treviso 2nd title

## Awards

### FIBA Saporta Cup Finals MVP

* Henry Williams ( Benetton Treviso)
