BILBAO (Spain) - A second-half masterclass lifted Surne Bilbao Basket to an 89-74 win over PAOK BC to become the first team to retain the FIBA Europe Cup title.
A sell-out crowd at the Bilbao Arena saw a tightly-contested first half, but the third quarter proved to be the difference as the hosts went on to seal 162-153 on aggregate win.
Turning point
From the outset, PAOK tried to dictate the pace of the game and take Bilbao out of their rhythm. And it worked, as they enjoyed a six-point lead in the early stages and a 12-point lead on aggregate, while the hosts couldn't get going from the field.
As the second quarter started, Bilbao began to find holes in PAOK's defense and they chipped away at the aggregate lead. A basket from Margiris Normantas gave the Spanish side a 42-39 lead, en route to securing a slender lead at the break.
From there, it was all Bilbao as their offense thrived, while PAOK's faltered. A 10-0 run from the hosts gave them a 67-53 lead, and crucially, a seven-point edge on aggregate.
And it only got worse for PAOK, as Patrick Beverley, the key man from the first leg, fouled out less than two minutes into the fourth quarter, with his side chasing the game. A lay-up from Harald Frey on the following possession gave Bilbao a 74-57 lead and an 11-point lead on aggregate.
From there, history was going to repeat itself.
Game hero
Bilbao saw four players in double figures for scoring, but it was Lithuanian international Margiris Normantas who stood out, pouring in 17 points on 6-for-7 shooting, for his first-ever continental championship.
He was supported by Darrun Hilliard, who amassed 16 points, which included three triples.
Stats don't lie
After going just 4-for-13 from three-point land in the first half, Bilbao found their range in the third quarter and drained their next four attempts from beyond the arc, to reduce the aggregate deficit to just a point.
Bilbao found their groove, as PAOK lost control. The hosts' strong start to the third quarter led to them outscoring their Greek counterparts 27-16 heading into the final period. There was still hope, but it was dashed when Beverley picked up his fifth foul.
Bottom line
Bilbao started slowly, but never let their heads drop, and continued to find a way back, as champions do. And then, they turned it up a gear in the third quarter, and PAOK were unable to respond.
It's back-to-back FIBA Europe Cup titles for Bilbao, the first time any team has achieved such a feat, but they had to work hard for their success and for PAOK, this was one that got away.
FIBA