Subject: Euroleague Basketball 2011/2012

The thoughts of sneakers squeaking and balls sailing through the nets were on the minds of all Thursday as the draws for the 2011-12 Turkish Airlines Euroleague Regular Season and Qualifying Rounds and the Eurocup Qualifying Round took place in Barcelona, Spain. Now basketball fans around the world can begin marking their calendars with the dates that their favorite teams will leap into action. The 22 teams that have already secured their berths in the Euroleague Regular Season were divided into four groups of six teams, with two more team still to be added from the Qualifying Rounds. The Qualifying Rounds will take place from September 29 through October 2 with 16 teams battling for two last tickets to the Regular Season at separate eight-team tournaments. Among the top seeds headlining the Regular Season groups are defending Turkish Airlines Euroleague champion Panathinaikos, 2010 champion Regal FC Barcelona and the winningest team in Euroleague history, Real Madrid. The Regular Season is set to tip-off with the Greens hosting the traditional Opening Game at the Athens Indoor Olympic Hall on Monday, October 17 and then will continue with games played every Wednesday and Thursday for 10 consecutive weeks through December 22. The competition returns with the Top 16 from January 18 to March 1, with a one-week break between the fourth and fifth games. The quarterfinal playoffs are scheduled from March 21 to April 5, the winners of which will meet at the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four from May 11 to 13 in Istanbul, Turkey.

Spirou ftw!