Paok 84-82 Bilbao Basket: A team made of faith and dreams

After seven months of competition, 10 rivals, 19 games, almost 40,000 kilometers traveled and several miracles worked, the last against Dijon, Bilbao Basket came to his appointment with the story. It was the number 20, moment of truth, and will remain forever in the memory of a humble club and its faithful hobby, which saw theirs keep a piece of salt from Salares. Down there, in the parquet, there were the black -to -face men with the paok, glances injected into blood, with the nerves to the skin and the head traveling a thousand per hour, dodging roles that did not stop falling. Evading the environment, an impressive wrapper, in nothing comparable to others, a passion that goes beyond the game and basketball, housed in the viscera, constituted a biblical test for the Biscay. They survived in a boiler, with an extreme ambient temperature, a challenge only suitable for hearts made of steel. And steel resisted in the Paok Sports Arena together because it was made of sweat, blood and tears. Of happiness.

As expected, the game was delayed a few minutes because the track of hundreds of kilos of paper had to be cleaned. When the ball flipped, Bilbao Basket disguised itself as a wolf. Nothing to wrinkle in the infernal lair, to dwarf, but taught the fangs and began to bite. Strong, with a taste for blood, hot and tasty. It was tested by Harald Frey with a triple man who opened the scoring. The Norwegian God, hero of the night. The base was labeled, which shortly after repeated experience again. And again. Until the counter stopped in 17 Puntozos, as well as a sidereal Pantzar. The arbitral trio soon scared because before the four minutes of the party, the Surne loaded with five personal. The paok was with one. It was something that had to be counted and brewed, in addition to swallowing toads in the form of doubtful steps and fouls in non -existent attack.

Choral work

The Paok got ahead with a Kreuser basket (14-13), but Pantzar was in charge of returning the blow and together with Hlinason he was in charge of closing the first quarter with a good draw at 24. Things were fine, with the brave and plugged team, concentrated on the track and not on the stand. A immeasurable Gielo appeared in the second quarter with eight points – two triple and a basket of two – to distance the men in black. He put eight (25-33) and forced Massimo Cancellieri to ask for dead time. There were nerves on the local side, which realized that the Surne did not fear him or his audience. Frey hammering from the magic line, Dragic joined the cause and Pantzar began to like it. Black men defended with the soul, with what they had, and thus left the Paok in 15 points in the second period. Reynolds was not enough to harm a Bilbao Basket that flew. He put 11 up (34-45) and went to the changing rooms with a +10 (39-49). Rather, the rent was 17 tips. And there was nothing done.

The bad moment came in the third quarter. In two and a half minutes, black men were in the bonus. Welcome to Greece. It took almost four to score, a crisis that Pantzar broke with a triple from Stockholm. The Paok had put five (44-49), but the Swedish moved eight away. We had to row more than in the shell. Those of Salonica smelled blood and went for her. He had to endure and overcome the bump. Kreuser hurt and also Bartley, who made a partial of 16-5 to put ahead (55-54). On the Bilbao side all points were Pantzar. Then Ali and Jones helped to reach the last period two below.

In the absence of 4’38, the Paok first tied the final with a triple of Kreuser (74-67). He left ten (77-67). Surne had only put 18 points in 17 minutes of the second part, and still returned from the dead to become immortal. A triplazo of Frey in the absence of 53 seconds was the manna that announced the glory, which travels to Bilbao.