Βy Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Bilbao Basket was founded 25 years ago, managed in the past to reach the EuroCup Final, and finally got its first continental trophy.
The Basques lost to PAOK (84-82) in the second leg of the FIBA Europe Cup, but after winning the first game in Bilbao by seven points (72-65) with Melwin Pantzar scoring 19 points, the Spanish team celebrated.
Harald Frey with 17 points and Melvin Pantzar again with 17 were the stars of the winning side.
In a sold-out arena, PAOK got 17 points from Frank Bartley and almost touched a total turnaround.
The guests managed to get a nine-point advantage (76-67) with Dimitris Katsivelis scoring three minutes before the final buzzer.
Bilbao didn’t give up, stayed close, and with a big three by Frey trimmed the lead to four (81-77) entering the last minute of the game.
PAOK didn’t score in the next three chances they got, and Zoran Dragic, with 17 seconds on the clock, made one of two free throws to make it a three-point game (81-78).
PAOK missed again, Thijs De Ridder made two free throws (81-80), and everything was over for the home side.