By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
In 1993, PAOK Thessaloniki became the first Greek team that advanced to a Euroleague Final Four (or European Champions’ Cup, as it was called back in the day). Even though the tournament took place in Athens, the “black & whites” didn’t go further than the semifinal, which they lost to Benetton Treviso.
According to Dusan Ivkovic, PAOK head coach from 1991 to 1993, the team from Thessaloniki should have lifted that trophy. “In my opinion, PAOK should have been the first Greek team that won a European championship,” said the legendary Serbian a bit before the prep match between PAOK and CSKA Moscow, the reigning Euroleague champion.
“We could have achieved it in 1993 but we didn’t, for various reasons. This was a very big team and then went on to win the Greek league,” he concluded.