Chasing perfection: Will London complete an undefeated season?
MUNICH (Germany) - 14 games played, 14 wins. London Lions are the first British team to reach a European Final, but where does their perfect start rank in EuroCup Women history?
London have beaten two clubs from Turkiye en route to the Finals and have a third standing in their way of becoming champions as they take on Besiktas across two legs in April.
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They are vying to become the first team to finish as undefeated champions since Valencia Basket Club claimed the title in the 2020-21 season with a perfect 7-0 record. The Spanish club defeated Umana Reyer Venezia in a dramatic Final as Raquel Carrera came up clutch with a pair of late free throws.
Valencia were actually in the midst of an 18-game win streak, which spanned three seasons before the run came to an end against Reyer in the Quarter-Finals of the 2021-22 campaign.
This season saw three of the last four teams reach the Semi-Finals phase unbeaten to match the second best-ever start in the competition. Spar Girona and Umana Reyer Venice could not add to their 12 wins as they suffered defeats in both legs with the Italian side the latest to fall victim to London.
There have now been 10 clubs in total to have started the season with a double-digit win streak with the Lions' Semi-Final victories pushing them into second spot in the charts for perfect starts.
| # | TEAM | SEASON | WINNING START |
FINAL RECORD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Dynamo Moscow (RUS) | 2006-07 | 16-0 | 16-0 (Champions) |
| 2. | London Lions (GBR) | 2023-24 | 14-0 | TBC |
| 3. | Dynamo Moscow (RUS) | 2008-09 | 12-0 | 12-2 (Semi-Finals) |
| = | Dynamo Kursk (RUS) | 2011-12 | 12-0 | 13-1 (Champions) |
| = | Spar Girona (ESP) | 2023-24 | 12-0 | 12-2 (Semi-Finals) |
| = | Umana Reyer Venice (ITA) | 2023-24 | 12-0 | 12-2 (Semi-Finals) |
| 7. | Dynamo Kursk (RUS) | 2013-14 | 11-0 | 12-2 (Runners-up) |
| = | Cukurova Basketbol (TUR) | 2018-19 | 11-0 | 11-1 (Quarter-Finals) |
| 9. | Ramat Hasharon (ISR) | 2005-06 | 10-0 | 10-2 (Quarter-Finals) |
| = | Dynamo Moscow (RUS) | 2009-10 | 10-0 | 10-2 (Semi-Finals) |
| = | DVTK (HUN) | 2015-16 | 10-0 | 11-1 (Quarter-Finals) |
| = | Galatasaray (TUR) | 2016-17 | 10-0 | 11-3 (Semi-Finals) |
| = | Perfumerias Avenida (ESP) | 2019-20 | 10-0 | 10-0 (Season cancelled) |
Dynamo Moscow went all the way with 16 wins out of 16 in becoming champions in 2007 - one of their three titles - while compatriots Dynamo Kursk also compiled big winning runs on two occasions: first going on to win a maiden title in 2012 with just one defeat to their name, before coming up short in the Final in 2014.
Meanwhile, Perfumerias Avenida had been on course for a perfect season in 2020 before an early cancellation as a result of the pandemic halted their run ahead of the Quarter-Finals.
Cukurova Basketbol won 11 consecutive games in the 2018-19 season - as they were led by superstars Alina Iagupova and Astou Ndour - with Ramat Hasharon, DVTK and Galatasaray also making 10-0 starts to their respective campaigns, though all four sides failed to go on to be crowned champions.
So, London will know that the job is not finished despite their impressive season so far - they also know that two wins are not a necessity given the aggregate format, but it sure would make the triumph even sweeter should they go undefeated.
FIBA
