PAOK of Thessaloniki is set to arrive in Bilbao with high morale for the second leg of the FIBA Europe Cup final against Surne Bilbao. The Greek team will defend a six-point lead secured in the first leg (79-73). Last Saturday, PAOK concluded its regular season in the Greek league in third place, after a convincing 101-85 victory over Maroussi.
The team led by Pantelis Boutskos had not finished so high in the standings in the last eight seasons. They placed just behind the untouchable Olympiacos (with an impeccable 24-0) and Panathinaikos, narrowly surpassing AEK Athens in the battle for the coveted third spot.
During the game, PAOK took control of the scoreboard midway through the first quarter and never looked back. They quickly established double-digit leads, and although Maroussi closed to within three points at the start of the third quarter (57-54), PAOK's subsequent dominance was overwhelming. This was built on excellent shooting percentages: 80% on two-point shots and 42% on three-pointers, with a total of fourteen successful attempts from beyond the arc.
With Patrick Beverley once again rested in the domestic competition, the scoring burden for Boutskos's team fell on the effusive Breein Tyree and Tomas Dimsa, both scoring 17 points, with Dimsa hitting five three-pointers. Timmy Allen contributed 16 points, and Clifford Omoruyi added 15. No player spent more than 28 minutes on the court.
“"What remains for us now is to prepare properly for the final, step by step. Bilbao Basket is a great team, we saw the great improvement they made to their squad since last year. We expect a tougher battle in the second game. In a final, the only thing you think about is how you are going to win the trophy."
