PAOK mateco moved another step towards by beating Promitheas with 81-78 and coming back to PLAYOFF’S semifinals of Basket League, after five years. Our team now leads 2-1 in the series and it now has to face Olympiacos for the sequel of the League!

Jalen Riley was missing on that Sunday game so Nikos Tsiakmas had to fill the space, with Jaylen Hands providing some important baskets and Yannick Franke being the main character of the game with 31 points!

From the beginning of the game, PAOK mateco was the absolute dominant while was on top with 12-6 (5’30’’) and 17-9 (6’40’’) but the hosts were coming closer with 19-17, 23-21 until the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter, Yannick Franke was on fire and reached 19 personal points and that was one way that PAOK mateco led with 28-23 (12’), while managed to make a 16 points difference (46-30 17’). Meanwhile, Promitheas had an answer with a 1-12 run and reduced the difference to 5 (47-42) until the halftime was over.

As far as the third quarter, Margaritis started off with a three-pointer and helped PAOK mateco get on top again with 50-42. Our captain had to leave the court and stay in the bench with 4 fouls, while Promitheas was reducing the difference (50-48 23’). Tyler Polley came up with a three-pointer and gave a solution in our team by leading with 64-57.

In the fourth quarter, the game had a thrilling evolution. PAOK mateco was leading with 69-61 but Promitheas made a 0-9 run, with them being on top for the first time (69-70). Our team continued trying by taking the lead with 73-71, while the excellent three-pointer Cowan changed the score to 73-74 (38’10’’). Hands came from behind the arc and contributed with an important basket for our team by making the 76-74. As the game was to an end, PAOK was more successful in free throws, had the ideal defense and made the right decisions, while was well on its way to victory.

Quarters: 23-21, 47-42, 64-57, 81-78

PAOK mateco: Franke 31 (3), Tsiakmas 12 (3), Hands 10 (2), Margaritis 3 (1), Polley 11 (1), Slaftsakis 4, Sibert , Kaklamanakis 1, Kamperidis, Saloustros 5 (1), Renfro 4.

PROMITHEAS: Cowan 24 (6), Dangubic, Conditt 10, Tsairelis 11, Mouratos 10 (1), Gkikas, Hogue, Thomasson 18 (1), Kulboka 5 (1).