By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
PAOK mateco fans created a spectacular atmosphere in Thessaloniki, giving a big boost to their players, but it wasn’t enough, as Tofas Bursa was in control for most of the game and eliminated the Greek side from the Basketball Champions League.
The Turkish side prevailed with a final score of 71-84, securing a place in the Round of 16 alongside Unicaja and SIG Strasbourg in Group I.
Austin Wiley dominated the glass for Tofas and finished the match with a strong double-double of 11 points and 17 rebounds, earning a game-high PIR of 30. J.J. O’Brien emerged as the top scorer, contributing 15 points and shooting 3-3 from beyond the arc, while Omar Prewitt scored some important points in the third quarter, finishing the match with 12 points.
Experienced Marcus Denmon added 11 points, including some crucial free throws to push back PAOK in the final quarter, while Cassius Winston added nine points with six assists for the winning side.
Two players stood out for the Greek team in their last game of the season in the BCL, with Elvar Fridriksson scoring 18 points with seven rebounds and five assists, while Michalis Tsairelis added 17 points on 8-10 from the field.
Thanks mostly to Wiley, Tofas had complete control of the rebounds, collecting 41, while PAOK had 28. The winning side also had more assists, 16-11, and shot much better from three, with 42.8% accuracy, hitting 12 triples in 28 attempts, while the hosts made just eight shots from beyond the arc on 27 attempts (29.63%).
With a strong push from the stands, PAOK gave a good fight to Tofas in the first half but ended up trailing 34-40 after 20 minutes. In the third period, Orhun Ene’s side started taking control and pulled away with a huge 14-2 run, establishing a 39-56 lead. PAOK never really recovered. They found strength for one last push in the final minutes, but Tofas remained in control and finished the match with a 7-2 run.
Postgame press conference
Photo: fiba.basketball