101 Greats of European Basketball

Vladimir Stankovic
alization for Sibilio, which also benefitted the Spanish
national team. Sibilio made his debut at the 1980
Olympics in Moscow. He played 87 games with the red
jersey, scoring 1,324 points and winning a silver medal
at EuroBasket 1983 in Nantes. His last big tourney
with Spain was the 1987 EuroBasket in Athens. Over
the course of those years, Sibilio averaged 16.7 points
per game in FIBA competitions, from the 21.6 at those
Moscow Olympics in 1980 to 10.0 at the 1987 Euro-
Basket.
I think I saw Sibilio live for the first time in Moscow in
1980. After that, our paths crossed at several EuroBaskets
and other competitions. I still remember how the
ease with which he shot caught everyone’s attention.
He needed minimal space to create his shots, which
were true bombs that formed a high arc and almost
always went in! His moves and sixth sense to choose
the best spot for a shot would be a valuable lesson
nowadays in any school for shooters.
Sibilio was also a fast player who was able to run
the break and was a good rebounder. As sometimes
happens with shooters, he was often called out for not
caring much about defending his man, but I always say
it is easier to find or create a defensive specialist than a
great shooter.
Ultimately, throughout his great career, there was
something missing, as has happened with other greats of
European basketball: a EuroLeague title. Sibilio was close
two times, but on both occasions the trophy slipped away.
Barcelona played the 1984 final against Banco di Roma
and lost 79-73 despite Epi’s 31 points. Chicho was not at
his best with only 4 points and poor 2-for-10 shooting that
night. His second chance came in 1989 in Munich, but in
semifinals, Jugoplastika Split, the eventual champ, won
87-77 with the great trio formed by Toni Kukoc (24 points),
Dusko Ivanovic (21) and Dino Radja (18) outdueling Epi
(16), Audie Norris (15) and Chicho (15). In the aftermath of
that defeat in Munich, Sibilio left the team. He then signed
for Baskonia where, with less pressure, he played four
good seasons before retiring at age 35.
There were also other European competitions, of
course. In 1981, Barca lost the Saporta Cup final against
Squib Cantu with just a symbolic contribution by Sibilio
of 3 points. In 1985, in the same competition, Barcelona
defeated Zalgiris Kaunas with Arvydas Sabonis (14
points, 16 rebounds), Rimas Kurtinaitis (36 points) and
Valdemaras Chomicius in the final. Sibilio scored 29
points on great shooting: 8 of 16 twos, 3 of 3 threes
and 4 of 4 free throws. That same year, Barcelona won
the Intercontinental Cup against Monte Libano of Brazil
(93-89) with 39 points by Epi and 27 by Sibilio. Marcel
de Souza had 38 for the opponents. It was a celebration
of three great shooters.
One year later, Barcelona repeated the Saporta
Cup title, this time beating Scavolini Pesaro 101-86 as
Chicho scored 25 points and Epi 20. Sibilio’s trophy
case was completed with the 1987 Korac Cup after a
double win over Limoges as Sibilio totaled 33 points in
the two-game series.
Natural talent
Sibilio’s teammates in Barcelona and with the
Spanish national team described him as a “natural
talent” (Juanma Lopez Iturriaga); “the first pure forward”
(Fernando Romay); “excellent, even without
practicing a lot” (Solozabal). He had something that
great shooters have: it looked like everything he did
was easy, natural, effortless. Of course, it was not like
that, and it was his talent that made so many shots go
in as if it were second nature. He was the top scorer
320
321