Surne Bilbao finds itself in an unprecedented situation, filled with both excitement and significant responsibility. The team from Bizkaia is no stranger to the challenging art of competing in continental finals; in fact, their victory on Wednesday against Falco Szombathely marks the third time they have secured a spot in the ultimate battle for a European title. They have experienced both extremes of results, from the disappointment of losing the Eurocup final in Charleroi in 2013 to Lokomotiv Kuban, to the euphoria of ascending to glory last year in Thessaloniki in the FIBA Europe Cup against PAOK, the same opponent they will face again in this final stage.
However, what they have never had before is the chance to be crowned champions, to hear Queen's iconic We are the Champions blasting through the loudspeakers, at home, surrounded by their devoted “black tide” of fans, with 10,000 souls igniting the inferno of Miribilla. Last season, the Bilbao Arena was the venue where Jaume Ponsarnau's team built the advantage they later successfully defended in the fiery Palataki. This time, the order of events is reversed, and the Bilbao venue could be the site where a new conquest for Bizkaia is celebrated.
Surne Bilbao has not let its guard down at any point, which has allowed them to avoid even hints of accidents along the way.
The “men in black” have earned this privilege through hard work and determination, delivering an impeccable performance after their initial defeat to Peristeri. Since then, they have achieved fifteen consecutive victories, consistently demonstrating their strength and adhering to Ponsarnau's mantra: respect for the opponent, no matter who they are, as the best path to success. Surne Bilbao has maintained its vigilance throughout, which has allowed them to avoid any setbacks, acting with an iron fist in both the quarter-final and semi-final playoffs against Aliaga Petkimspor and Falco Szombathely—teams of lesser stature but capable of rebellion—as well as in the group stages, where they often showed vast superiority over many opponents.
The level of the FIBA Europe Cup is what it is, no more, no less, but it is absurd to deny the merit of a team reaching two consecutive finals, especially when achieving it once is already a complicated matter. One only needs to look at Sito Alonso's UCAM Murcia, currently third in the Liga Endesa after 25 rounds, ahead of teams like Kosner Baskonia, Barça, La Laguna Tenerife, and Unicaja. On Wednesday, they were unable to overcome a six-point deficit from the first leg in Thessaloniki against PAOK, and were eliminated in the semi-finals after a thrilling finish, despite winning the return leg 89-85.
Incidentally, Surne Bilbao had already faced the Greeks in the second group stage, emerging victorious in both encounters—a dominant 95-73 win in Miribilla and a narrow 87-88 victory away. However, in the grand final, a much stronger and better-equipped opponent awaits than the one they faced in January and February. At that time, PAOK underwent numerous significant changes to its roster, with players like Patrick Beverley, Timmy Allen, Breein Tyree, and Clifford Omoruyi being recent arrivals, and the team's collective mechanisms still needed to be built and solidified, which are now clearly functioning perfectly.
PAOK, an organization with a basketball section nearly a century old, boasting two Greek Leagues, several Cups, a Korac Cup, and a Saporta Cup in its trophy cabinet, has described on its official website the repeat final appearance as a “historic conquest” and an opportunity to avenge last year's defeat. This desire for revenge makes the Greeks even more dangerous, but many of the players who froze the Palataki last season—Melwin Pantzar, Harald Frey, Amar Sylla, Tryggvi Hlinason, and Bassala Bagayoko—when their passionate fans dreamed of reliving past glories at home, remain in the Bizkaia team. Now, the protagonists and the settings remain, but it is Surne Bilbao who has earned the chance to be crowned champions in front of their home crowd.
