Serie A (basketball) 2008-09
Encyclopedia
The Serie A FIP 2008-09 was the 87th edition of the top-level Italian basketball championship.
The 16 participating teams played each other team in home and away matches. At the end of the regular season, the first eight classified teams advanced to a championship play-off, while the last two were relegated in LegADue
. The original number of teams was 18, but on September 20, 2008 the Federal Council of the Italian Basketball Federation
(FIP) discovered administrative irregularities committed by Basket Napoli and UPEA Capo d'Orlando
and decided to deny them professional licenses. The council also chose not to substitute them with any teams from LegADue, and at the same time decided to permanently reduce the number of teams in the top flight to 16.
Montepaschi Siena
swept virtually all before them domestically, winning the SuperCoppa Italiana
before the season and the Coppa Italia
at midseason, losing in the league only once (at Fortitudo Bologna
), and going unbeaten through the playoffs to claim their third straight title.
is played as a single match before the start of the season between the previous year's Serie A champion and Coppa Italia winner (if a club wins both, the match instead pits the top two teams from the previous season's league). This season, the game, played September 30 in Siena
, pitted two-time defending league champion Montepaschi Siena
against Coppa Italia winner Air Avellino
.
Terrell McIntyre
was named MVP of the game.
At end of regular season:
Following the season, the owner of Fortitudo (GMAC) Bologna failed to make required payments to remain in the Italian professional ranks, and the club were further relegated to the country's third level, the nominally amateur Serie A Dilettanti. An appeal was unsuccessful.
, seeded according to their league placement at that time. The cup tournament was held at Futurshow Station in Casalecchio di Reno
from February 19 to February 22, 2009, with top seed Montepaschi Siena
winning the cup for the first time.
The 16 participating teams played each other team in home and away matches. At the end of the regular season, the first eight classified teams advanced to a championship play-off, while the last two were relegated in LegADue
LegADue
Legadue or Lega2 is the second-highest division of professional club basketball in Italy since 2001-2002 season...
. The original number of teams was 18, but on September 20, 2008 the Federal Council of the Italian Basketball Federation
Italian Basketball Federation
The Italian Basketball Federation is the governing body of basketball in Italy.It is a member of the International Basketball Federation ....
(FIP) discovered administrative irregularities committed by Basket Napoli and UPEA Capo d'Orlando
Orlandina Basket
Orlandina Basket, also known for sponsorship reasons as UPEA Capo d'Orlando is an Italian professional basketball club from the town of Capo d'Orlando, Sicily, Italy. It was founded in 1978, and is among the most recently founded basketball clubs in Italy...
and decided to deny them professional licenses. The council also chose not to substitute them with any teams from LegADue, and at the same time decided to permanently reduce the number of teams in the top flight to 16.
Montepaschi Siena
Mens Sana Basket
Mens Sana Basket, more frequently referred to as Montepaschi Siena, is an Italian League professional basketball club from Siena. More precisely, it is the now-autonomous basketball section of the comprehensive sports club Polisportiva Mens Sana...
swept virtually all before them domestically, winning the SuperCoppa Italiana
Supercoppa Italiana di Pallacanestro Maschile
The Italian Basketball Supercup , or Supercoppa Italiana, is the professional preseason basketball competition that takes place each year between the winners of the Italian Championship and the winners of the Italian Cup...
before the season and the Coppa Italia
Coppa Italia di pallacanestro maschile
The Italian Basketball Cup , or Coppa Italia, is an annual professional basketball competition between pro clubs from the Italian League.-History and format:...
at midseason, losing in the league only once (at Fortitudo Bologna
Fortitudo Bologna
Fortitudo Pallacanestro Bologna is an Legadue Basket professional basketball club that is based in Bologna. It's currently sponsored by Conad.-History:...
), and going unbeaten through the playoffs to claim their third straight title.
Teams
| Team | Seasons in Serie A |
Coach | Arena | Capacity | 2007-08 season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Avellino S.S. Felice Scandone S.S. Felice Scandone, also known by their sponsorship name of Sidigas Avellino, is a prominent Italian League professional basketball club that is based in Avellino, in southern Italy. For past club sponsorship names, see the list below.-History:... |
9 | Zare Markovski | Palasport Del Mauro Palasport Del Mauro Palasport Giacomo Del Mauro is an indoor sporting arena located in Avellino, Italy. The seating capacity of the arena is 5,300 people. It is currently home of the Air Avellino professional basketball team.... |
5,200 | 3rd in Serie A |
| Angelico Biella Pallacanestro Biella -Notable players :-Sponsorship names:In the past, due to sponsorship deals, it has also been known as:*Fila Biella *Lauretana Biella . For the 2009–10 season,*Lauretana Biella Eurocup-External links:* *... |
8 | Luca Bechi | PalaBiella Palasport Biella Palasport Biella is an indoor sporting arena located in Biella, Italy. The capacity of the arena is 3,508 people and it opened in 1994. It was the home of the Pallacanestro Biella professional basketball team.... |
5,007 | 12th in Serie A |
| Armani Jeans Milano Olimpia Milano Olimpia Milano is a Lega Basket Italian professional basketball team, based in Milan, Italy, founded in 1936 by Milan businessman Adolfo Bogoncelli. Its colors are red and white, and the team is sometimes referred as "Scarpette Rosse" because team officials imported from the United States red... |
60 | Piero Bucchi | Mediolanum Forum | 11,200 | 5th in Serie A |
| Bancatercas Teramo Teramo Basket Teramo Basket is a professional basketball club that is based in Teramo, Italy and plays in the Italian League. For sponsorship reasons, it is also known as Bancatercas Teramo. For past club sponsorship names, see the list below.-History:... |
6 | Andrea Capobianco | PalaScapriano PalaScapriano PalaScapriano is an indoor sporting arena located in Teramo, Italy. The capacity of the arena is 3,500 people. It is currently home to the Teramo Basket.-References:... |
3,500 | 11th in Serie A |
| Benetton Treviso Pallacanestro Treviso Pallacanestro Treviso, more often known by its sponsorship name of Benetton Basket, or Benetton Treviso, is an Italian Serie A League professional basketball club from Treviso, the headquarters city of its longtime owner Benetton Group... |
28 | Oktay Mahmuti Oktay Mahmuti Oktay Mahmuti is a Turkish professional basketball coach. Mahmuti was born to Turkish parents living in Skopje. Mahmuti graduated from Istanbul University Faculty of Pharmacy... |
PalaVerde Palaverde Palaverde is an indoor sporting arena located in Treviso, Italy. The capacity of the arena is for 5,134 people and was opened in September 1983. It is currently home only of the Benetton Treviso basketball team, after the Sisley Volley Treviso volleyball team moved to Belluno.... |
5,154 | 10th in Serie A |
| Carife Ferrara Basket Club Ferrara Basket Club Ferrara is an Italian professional basketball team from the town of Ferrara. The club was established in 1999. For past club sponsorship names, see the list below.-History:... |
1 | Giorgio Valli | PalaSegest | 3,178 | 1st in LegADue LegADue Legadue or Lega2 is the second-highest division of professional club basketball in Italy since 2001-2002 season... |
| Eldo Caserta Juvecaserta Basket JuveCaserta Basket , also known for sponsorship reasons as Pepsi Caserta, is an Italian League professional basketball team from the town of Caserta. For past club sponsorship names, see the list below.-The Beginnings:... |
1 | Fabrizio Frates | PalaMaggiò | 6,387 | 2nd in LegADue LegADue Legadue or Lega2 is the second-highest division of professional club basketball in Italy since 2001-2002 season... |
| GMAC Bologna Fortitudo Bologna Fortitudo Pallacanestro Bologna is an Legadue Basket professional basketball club that is based in Bologna. It's currently sponsored by Conad.-History:... |
36 | Cesare Pancotto | PalaDozza PalaDozza Land Rover Arena is an indoor sporting arena located at Piazza Azzarita Manfredi 8, in Bologna, Italy. The seating capacity of the arena is fit to host 5,721 people and was inaugurated in 1956. It is currently home to the Fortitudo Bologna basketball team... |
5,700 | 8th in Serie A |
| La Fortezza Bologna Virtus Bologna -Notable players: Marco Bonamico 9 seasons: '75-'76, '77-'78, '80-'86, '88-'89 Carlo Caglieris 6 seasons: '75-'81 Pietro Generali 6 seasons: '75-'76, '78-'83 Gianni Bertolotti 5 seasons: '75-'80 Terry Driscoll 3 seasons: '75-'78 Eric Luc Leclerc 1 season: '75-'76 Luigi Serafini 2 seasons: '75-'77... |
59 | Matteo Boniciolli | Futurshow Station | 8,600 | 15th in Serie A |
| Lottomatica Roma Pallacanestro Virtus Roma Pallacanestro Virtus Roma, also known for sponsorship reasons as Acea Virtus Roma, is a prominent Italian League professional basketball club, and is also currently one of 13 European clubs that hold ULEB A Licenses, which provide their holders with a guaranteed place in the Euroleague. The club... |
29 | Ferdinando Gentile Ferdinando Gentile Ferdinando "Nando" Gentile is an Italian retired professional basketball player. Gentile is considered one of the best European Shooting guards of the 1990s.-Professional career:... |
PalaLottomatica PalaLottomatica PalaLottomatica, formerly known as Palazzo dello Sport or PalaEUR, is a multi-purpose sports and entertainment arena in Rome, Italy. It is located in the heart of the well known modern EUR complex. The arena hosted the 1960 Olympic basketball tournamentsThe stadium features 8 meetings points, a... |
10,500 | 2nd in Serie A |
| Montepaschi Siena Mens Sana Basket Mens Sana Basket, more frequently referred to as Montepaschi Siena, is an Italian League professional basketball club from Siena. More precisely, it is the now-autonomous basketball section of the comprehensive sports club Polisportiva Mens Sana... |
23 | Simone Pianigiani Simone Pianigiani Simone Pianigiani is an Italian basketball coach.He is currently coaching the Montepaschi Siena club in the Italian Lega A. He was appointed the head coach before the 2006/07 season, and has led his team to the Italian championship in all five of his seasons on the bench... |
Palasport Mens Sana Palasport Mens Sana Palasport Mens Sana is an indoor sporting arena located in Via Sclavo, Siena, Italy. The seating capacity of the arena is for 7,025 people. Opened in 1976, it is currently home to the Mens Sana Basket professional basketball team.-External links:*... |
6,000 | 1st in Serie A |
| NGC Cantù Pallacanestro Cantù Pallacanestro Cantù is an Italian League professional basketball club that is based in Cantù. For sponsorship reasons, it is also known as Bennet Cantù, after Bennet, an Italian supermarket chain. For past club sponsorship names, see the list below... |
52 | Luca Dalmonte | PalaPianella Palasport Pianella Palasport Pianella is an indoor sporting arena located in Cucciago, Italy.Built up in 1974, it has a capacity of 3,910 people, in the past he reached 4,500 but it was reduced due to a restructuring... |
3,910 | 7th in Serie A |
| Premiata Montegranaro Sutor Basket Montegranaro Sutor Basket Montegranaro, also known for sponsorship reasons as Sigma Coatings Montegranaro, is an Italian League professional basketball club from the town of Montegranaro, Marche... |
3 | Alessandro Finelli | PalaSavelli PalaSavelli PalaSavelli is an indoor sporting arena located in Porto San Giorgio, Italy. The capacity of the arena is 3,800 people. It is currently home of the Sutor Basket Montegranaro basketball team.... |
3,800 | 4th in Serie A |
| Scavolini-Spar Pesaro Victoria Libertas Pesaro Victoria Libertas , full name Unione Sportiva Victoria Libertas Pallacanestro, is a professional basketball team that is based in Pesaro, Italy. The club competes in the top level Italian professional basketball league, the Lega Basket Serie A... |
54 | Stefano Sacripanti | Adriatic Arena ADRIATIC Arena ADRIATIC Arena, formerly known as BPA Palace, is an indoor sporting arena located in Pesaro, Italy. The seat capacity of the arena it's 10.323 seats... |
10,323 | 9th in Serie A |
| Snaidero Udine | 9 | Romeo Sacchetti | PalaCarnera Palasport Primo Carnera Palasport Primo Carnera is an indoor sporting arena located in Udine, Italy. The capacity of the arena is 3,850 people. It is currently home of the Pallalcesto Amatori Udine basketball team. It is named after former world heavyweight boxing champion Primo Carnera, who was born in Sequals, near... |
3,850 | 16th in Serie A |
| Solsonica Rieti Nuova AMG Sebastiani Basket Rieti Nuova AMG Sebastiani Basket was a basketball team, founded in Rieti in 1998. In the 2009, last year of activity, the club moved the administrative headquarters and arena to Naples... |
10 | Lino Lardo | PalaSojourner PalaSojourner PalaSojourner is an indoor sporting arena located in Rieti, Italy. The capacity of the arena is 3,500 people. It is currently home of the Sebastiani Basket Club Rieti basketball team, and is named after Willie Sojourner, a star for the Sebastiani in the late 1970s and early 1980s.... |
3,550 | 13th in Serie A |
- Renato Pasquali was sacked by La Fortezza Bologna after 6 matches and replaced by Matteo Boniciolli
- Attilio Caja was sacked by Snaidero Udine after 7 matches and replaced by Romeo Sacchetti
- Dragan Šakota was sacked by GMAC Bologna after 9 matches and replaced by Cesare Pancotto
- Jasmin RepesaJasmin RepešaJasmin Repeša was a Croatian basketball player, and one of the most successful Croatian basketball coaches...
was sacked by Lottomatica Roma after 10 matches and replaced by Ferdinando GentileFerdinando GentileFerdinando "Nando" Gentile is an Italian retired professional basketball player. Gentile is considered one of the best European Shooting guards of the 1990s.-Professional career:...
Supercoppa Italiana
The Italian SupercupSupercoppa Italiana di Pallacanestro Maschile
The Italian Basketball Supercup , or Supercoppa Italiana, is the professional preseason basketball competition that takes place each year between the winners of the Italian Championship and the winners of the Italian Cup...
is played as a single match before the start of the season between the previous year's Serie A champion and Coppa Italia winner (if a club wins both, the match instead pits the top two teams from the previous season's league). This season, the game, played September 30 in Siena
Palasport Mens Sana
Palasport Mens Sana is an indoor sporting arena located in Via Sclavo, Siena, Italy. The seating capacity of the arena is for 7,025 people. Opened in 1976, it is currently home to the Mens Sana Basket professional basketball team.-External links:*...
, pitted two-time defending league champion Montepaschi Siena
Mens Sana Basket
Mens Sana Basket, more frequently referred to as Montepaschi Siena, is an Italian League professional basketball club from Siena. More precisely, it is the now-autonomous basketball section of the comprehensive sports club Polisportiva Mens Sana...
against Coppa Italia winner Air Avellino
S.S. Felice Scandone
S.S. Felice Scandone, also known by their sponsorship name of Sidigas Avellino, is a prominent Italian League professional basketball club that is based in Avellino, in southern Italy. For past club sponsorship names, see the list below.-History:...
.
Terrell McIntyre
Terrell McIntyre
Lance Terrell McIntyre is an American professional basketball player currently playing for Virtus Bologna in Italy. He is 5'9¼" tall and plays at the point guard position.-College career:...
was named MVP of the game.
Standings
| Key to colors | |
| League champions | |
| Remaining playoff participants | |
| Bottom two teams relegated to LegADue LegADue Legadue or Lega2 is the second-highest division of professional club basketball in Italy since 2001-2002 season... |
At end of regular season:
| Pos | Team | Pts | G | W | L | PF | PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Montepaschi Siena Mens Sana Basket Mens Sana Basket, more frequently referred to as Montepaschi Siena, is an Italian League professional basketball club from Siena. More precisely, it is the now-autonomous basketball section of the comprehensive sports club Polisportiva Mens Sana... |
58 | 30 | 29 | 1 | 2651 | 2153 |
| 2. | Lottomatica Roma Pallacanestro Virtus Roma Pallacanestro Virtus Roma, also known for sponsorship reasons as Acea Virtus Roma, is a prominent Italian League professional basketball club, and is also currently one of 13 European clubs that hold ULEB A Licenses, which provide their holders with a guaranteed place in the Euroleague. The club... |
40 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 2556 | 2398 |
| 3. | Bancatercas Teramo Teramo Basket Teramo Basket is a professional basketball club that is based in Teramo, Italy and plays in the Italian League. For sponsorship reasons, it is also known as Bancatercas Teramo. For past club sponsorship names, see the list below.-History:... |
38 | 30 | 19 | 11 | 2491 | 2435 |
| 4. | Benetton Treviso Pallacanestro Treviso Pallacanestro Treviso, more often known by its sponsorship name of Benetton Basket, or Benetton Treviso, is an Italian Serie A League professional basketball club from Treviso, the headquarters city of its longtime owner Benetton Group... |
36 | 30 | 18 | 12 | 2320 | 2261 |
| 5. | La Fortezza Bologna Virtus Bologna -Notable players: Marco Bonamico 9 seasons: '75-'76, '77-'78, '80-'86, '88-'89 Carlo Caglieris 6 seasons: '75-'81 Pietro Generali 6 seasons: '75-'76, '78-'83 Gianni Bertolotti 5 seasons: '75-'80 Terry Driscoll 3 seasons: '75-'78 Eric Luc Leclerc 1 season: '75-'76 Luigi Serafini 2 seasons: '75-'77... |
34 | 30 | 17 | 13 | 2350 | 2336 |
| 6. | Armani Jeans Milano Olimpia Milano Olimpia Milano is a Lega Basket Italian professional basketball team, based in Milan, Italy, founded in 1936 by Milan businessman Adolfo Bogoncelli. Its colors are red and white, and the team is sometimes referred as "Scarpette Rosse" because team officials imported from the United States red... |
34 | 30 | 17 | 13 | 2316 | 2236 |
| 7. | Angelico Biella Pallacanestro Biella -Notable players :-Sponsorship names:In the past, due to sponsorship deals, it has also been known as:*Fila Biella *Lauretana Biella . For the 2009–10 season,*Lauretana Biella Eurocup-External links:* *... |
30 | 30 | 15 | 15 | 2514 | 2479 |
| 8. | Scavolini-Spar Pesaro Victoria Libertas Pesaro Victoria Libertas , full name Unione Sportiva Victoria Libertas Pallacanestro, is a professional basketball team that is based in Pesaro, Italy. The club competes in the top level Italian professional basketball league, the Lega Basket Serie A... |
28 | 30 | 14 | 16 | 2456 | 2436 |
| 9. | NGC Cantù Pallacanestro Cantù Pallacanestro Cantù is an Italian League professional basketball club that is based in Cantù. For sponsorship reasons, it is also known as Bennet Cantù, after Bennet, an Italian supermarket chain. For past club sponsorship names, see the list below... |
28 | 30 | 14 | 16 | 2358 | 2445 |
| 10. | Carife Ferrara Basket Club Ferrara Basket Club Ferrara is an Italian professional basketball team from the town of Ferrara. The club was established in 1999. For past club sponsorship names, see the list below.-History:... |
28 | 30 | 14 | 16 | 2359 | 2390 |
| 11. | Air Avellino S.S. Felice Scandone S.S. Felice Scandone, also known by their sponsorship name of Sidigas Avellino, is a prominent Italian League professional basketball club that is based in Avellino, in southern Italy. For past club sponsorship names, see the list below.-History:... |
26 | 30 | 13 | 17 | 2307 | 2293 |
| 12. | Premiata Montegranaro Sutor Basket Montegranaro Sutor Basket Montegranaro, also known for sponsorship reasons as Sigma Coatings Montegranaro, is an Italian League professional basketball club from the town of Montegranaro, Marche... |
24 | 30 | 12 | 18 | 2294 | 2431 |
| 13. | Eldo Caserta Juvecaserta Basket JuveCaserta Basket , also known for sponsorship reasons as Pepsi Caserta, is an Italian League professional basketball team from the town of Caserta. For past club sponsorship names, see the list below.-The Beginnings:... |
22 | 30 | 11 | 19 | 2236 | 2389 |
| 14. | Solsonica Rieti Nuova AMG Sebastiani Basket Rieti Nuova AMG Sebastiani Basket was a basketball team, founded in Rieti in 1998. In the 2009, last year of activity, the club moved the administrative headquarters and arena to Naples... |
20* | 30 | 11 | 19 | 2187 | 2321 |
| 15. | GMAC Bologna Fortitudo Bologna Fortitudo Pallacanestro Bologna is an Legadue Basket professional basketball club that is based in Bologna. It's currently sponsored by Conad.-History:... |
20 | 30 | 10 | 20 | 2251 | 2385 |
| 16. | Snaidero Udine Pallalcesto Amatori Udine Snaidero Basketball is a prominent Italian basketball club based in Udine. It is also known as Snaidero Cucine Udine.-History:Its best finish so far is a 5th place in the Italian tournament in the 2005/06 season. The gold years for basketball in Udine were from 1965 to 1980, when the president and... |
12 | 30 | 6 | 24 | 2329 | 2587 |
- Rieti penalized by 2 points for administrative irregularities.
Following the season, the owner of Fortitudo (GMAC) Bologna failed to make required payments to remain in the Italian professional ranks, and the club were further relegated to the country's third level, the nominally amateur Serie A Dilettanti. An appeal was unsuccessful.
Coppa Italia
The top eight teams at the halfway point of the regular season (15 rounds) competed in the Italian CupCoppa Italia di pallacanestro maschile
The Italian Basketball Cup , or Coppa Italia, is an annual professional basketball competition between pro clubs from the Italian League.-History and format:...
, seeded according to their league placement at that time. The cup tournament was held at Futurshow Station in Casalecchio di Reno
Casalecchio di Reno
Casalecchio di Reno is a town and comune of 32,877 inhabitants, situated in the Province of Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy.-History:...
from February 19 to February 22, 2009, with top seed Montepaschi Siena
Mens Sana Basket
Mens Sana Basket, more frequently referred to as Montepaschi Siena, is an Italian League professional basketball club from Siena. More precisely, it is the now-autonomous basketball section of the comprehensive sports club Polisportiva Mens Sana...
winning the cup for the first time.