A few minutes before the clock switched to zero, Jalen Riley came from downtown to seal the great victory that PAOK mateco made with 81-78 against Rytas Vilnius. Our team managed to tie the score at 1-1 in that Play-In matchup and is going to assert the qualification of Top16 in Basketball Champions League, on a third game.

PAOK mateco testified it’s soul, never quitted the game although the team was being down by 10 during the fourth quarter. Hands made big shoots and Riley pulled out a difficult and big victory while PAOK fans were cheering up the team.

The visitors started the game by playing better and being in front even with a double-digit difference (9-20, 6’). Jaylen Hands was being a nonstop three pointer while he helped PAOK reduce 17-23 in the end of the first quarter and later on, Slaftsakis made a shoot that reduced the difference at 4 (19-23) in the beginning of the second quarter.

Hands kept the difference at 4 (24-28) with his third three-point shoot while PAOK mateco took control of the game with the three pointer Yannick Franke who helped the team to lead the score for the first half (29-28 15’).

The team’s dominance was breath taking. It can be confirmed by the 23-4 run, which PAOK replied with when he was behind with a 21-28 score! The team strived to +12 (44-32) from -7 with an amazing dunk from Hands. By that, the first half was completed (46-34).

Rytas Vilnius didn’t give up at all and that can be verified while Marcus Foster was unstoppable, reached 28 points and went ahead again (58-58) in the end of the third quarter. The Lithuanians did an impressive run 1-15 and led the game with 58-67 (from 57-52) while they also reached the difference at 10 (67-77) but PAOK mateco didn’t give up. Riley and Kamperidis were the three pointers that turned the score upside down 70-77 36’ and then, Hands took over. The game was a tie (78-78) 1.5 minute before the end. Afterwards, Riley locked the victory with a determinant three-point shoot.

Quarters: 17-23, 46-34, 57-58, 81-78

PAOK mateco: Franke 10 (1), Riley 15 (4), Tsiakmas, Hands 20 (4) ,Margaritis 7 (1), Polley 7 (1), Slaftsakis 4, Christidis 2, Sibert ,Kamperidis 3 (1), Saloustros 8 (2), Renfro 5

RYTAS VILNIUS: Normantas 2, Williams 2, Lekunas 3 (1), Radzevicius 6, Fridriksson 5, Kairys 3, Echodas 12, Foster 31 (5), Masiulis 2, Varadi 12 (1).