By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Both teams had secured advancement to the Basketball Champions League Play-ins before the match; it was just a matter of determining who would move on as the second in Group G to have the home-court advantage in the next round.
In the end, it was PAOK mateco, but not thanks to winning. Galatasaray EKMAS prevailed in Thessaloniki 79-85, but the Greek side maintained the head-to-head advantage by losing by less than 10 points.
PAOK will, therefore, face Tofas in the Play-ins, while Galatasaray will face Bertram Derthona Tortona.
Akwasi Yeboah shot the lights out in Greece, going 7-9 from beyond the arc and scoring 26 points. He also grabbed seven rebounds for a PIR of 29, while Miralem Halilovic added 17 points with six rebounds, and David McCormack had 10 points with seven boards in a hollow Galatasaray victory.
With 16 points, six rebounds, and four assists, Kendall Smith led PAOK. Michalis Tsairelis added 12 points and four assists, while Justin Alston scored 14 points, playing an important role in the last quarter when the home team trimmed the double-digit deficit. Galatasaray had a needed 64-78 lead at the beginning of the final period, but Alston scored six crucial points and helped his team cut the deficit to 76-83.
Postgame press conference
Photo: fiba.basketball