YEAR IN REVIEW 1996: SPORTS-AND-GAMES: BASKETBALL

BASKETBALL: International. A number of championships throughout the Continent caused 1995 to be an exciting year for European basketball. Especially prominent were the European championships for men and women, held in Athens and Brno, Czech Rep., respectively. In Athens, Yugoslavia returned to prominence in world basketball by defeating Lithuania 96-90 in a final that was regarded by many as the most exciting in 20 years. In the women's tournament Ukraine won the championship for the first time, defeating Italy 77-66. In Asia championships for men and women were held for the 18th and 16th time, respectively. At the men's tournament in Seoul, China was victorious, with Korea runner-up. In Shizuoka, Japan, the women's championship was also won by China, with Korea again placing second. The European champions at Cadet (under 16) level were Croatia in the men's tournament and Russia in the women's competition. Runners-up were Spain and Italy. The major club competition during the 1995-96 European season, the European Championship for Men's Clubs, was won by Real Madrid (Spain), which defeated Olympiakos (Greece) 73-61 in the final at Zaragoza, Spain. In other European tournaments Treviso (Italy) won the European Cup by beating Vitoria lava (Spain); Alba Berlin (Germany) defeated Olimpia Stefanel Milan of Italy to take the European Korac Cup; Como (Italy) retained the Women's European Champions Cup with a victory over Dorna Valencia (Spain); and the Ronchetti Cup went to France, with Bourges defeating Parma (Italy). The World Student Games (Universiade) finished a great year of basketball with its finals in Japan. The men's championship was won by the U.S., which completely overpowered the host nation 141-81. (MARK HANNEN)