Bilbao Basket closed a memorable season by defeating PAOK Mateco to become FIBA Europe Cup champion. With this achievement, the Basque team became the first Spanish club to win this competition, securing a 154-149 overall win, despite falling 84-82 in the second leg in Greece. The title marks the first international championship in Bilbao Basket’s history, cementing its place among the elite of European basketball.

The road to the title began with a crucial victory in the first leg, where Bilbao Basket won 72-65 at home. This result not only gave them an advantage on the aggregate scoreboard, but also maintained their perfect 10-0 home record in the competition this season. However, in the second leg, the team found themselves down by nine points at one point in the game, having to mentally overcome a demanding test in front of the Greek fans.

Melwin Pantzar and Harald Frey lead the comeback

In the decisive moments of the game, Melwin Pantzar and Harald Frey stood out with crucial scores that secured the title for Bilbao. Pantzar, the Swedish point guard, was named Finals MVP after averaging 18.0 points, 2.5 steals and 2.0 assists per game in the two games. His performance was key to keeping the team calm in a hostile environment and securing this first European title for the club.

Pantzar, MVP of the final

Great debut for PAOK mateco

For PAOK mateco, the defeat was a blow in front of their fans. The Greek team, which was making its debut in the FIBA Europe Cup, was looking for its first European title since 1994, but was unable to overcome a Bilbao Basket team that showed solidity in key moments. Despite the defeat, PAOK left a great impression in its first participation in the competition, showing potential for future editions.

With this win, Bilbao Basket becomes the ninth different team to win the FIBA Europe Cup since its inception. Moreover, it is only the second champion in the history of the tournament to start its participation from the qualifying rounds.