PAOK fails to capitalize on home court advantage: Tofas dominates through Thessaloniki
0![PAOK fails to capitalize on home court advantage: Tofas dominates through Thessaloniki foto: championsleaguebasketball](https://basketballsphere.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Austin-Wiley.jpg)
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PAOK was unable to capitalize on their home-court advantage in the playoff for a spot among the top 16 teams in the FIBA Champions League. Tofas emerged victorious with a convincing 84-71 win.
Tofas delivered an outstanding performance in the decisive match in Thessaloniki, proving to be the superior team. They will continue their journey in Group I, alongside Unicaja, Strasbourg, and the winner of the Cholet-Sassari duel.
From the beginning of the game, the visiting team displayed superior play, showcasing greater individual quality. By halftime, they held a lead of 40:34. The guests maintained their momentum into the third quarter, reaching their largest advantage at 56:39. However, the home team mounted a comeback, narrowing the deficit to 62:57 early in the final quarter.
At that point, the visiting coach called a timeout, and following it, the players from Bursa displayed excellent reactions. They scored three consecutive three-pointers, establishing a commanding lead of 71:57 and decisively tipping the scales in their favor. PAOK made a final attempt, closing the gap to 77:69, but Marcus Denmon extended the lead back to double digits, ultimately securing the win for Tofas.
The victors were led by former Buducnost player J.J. O’Brien, who contributed 15 points, while Omar Prewitt added 12. Marcus Denmon finished the game with 11 points, and Austin Wiley had an impressive performance with 11 points and a remarkable 17 rebounds.
On the home team, Elvar Fridriksson scored 18 points, and Michalis Tsairelis contributed 17 points.