PAOK BC

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(Redirected from
P.A.O.K. BC
)
PAOK
PAOK logo
NicknameDouble-Headed Eagle of The North
LeaguesGreek Basket League
Greek Cup
Founded1928; 96 years ago (1928)
HistoryPAOK BC
(1928–present)
ArenaPAOK Sports Arena
Capacity8,142
LocationThessaloniki, Greece
Team colorsBlack, White
   
Main sponsorMateco
PresidentAthanasios Chatzopoulos
Head coachStathis Nerantzakis
Team captainVangelis Margaritis
Most recent season position4th
Championships1 FIBA Saporta Cup
1 FIBA Korać Cup
2 Greek Championships
3 Greek Cups
Retired numbers1 (7)
Websitepaokbc.gr

PAOK BC (

indoor arena with a seating capacity
of 8,142 people.

Over the years, the PAOK basketball club has established itself with a firm reputation in Greek pro basketball, especially due to its successes in European-wide competitions. In the past, the club has won Greece's top-tier level Greek Basket League twice, in the years 1959 and 1992. The club has also won the top national Greek Cup competition three times, in the years 1984, 1995, and 1999.

In Pan-European competitions, PAOK has also won two European Cup titles. They won the now defunct

1993 Athens EuroLeague Final Four
, where they finished in third place.

History

1928–1980

HANTH (YMCA)
. during the 1920s.

The men's basketball section of the multi-sports club

relegation
, with a 66–53 play-out win over Dimokritos.

1981–1990

PAOK met

Alexandreio Melathron, which was PAOK's home arena at that time. In the following 1982–83 season, the team finished in second place behind Aris
.

The success of both Aris and PAOK, fueled the ongoing rivalry between the clubs, that had long been established in football. In 1984, the two teams reached the Greek Cup Final. PAOK's head coach at that time, Faidon Matthaiou, in trying to boost his team's morale, ordered the players to completely shave their heads. PAOK won the Greek Cup by four points (74–70), in what is now remembered as the "final of the shaven heads".

The then 22-year-old

Bane Prelević, debuted with the club in the 1988–89 season. He became the definitive leader of PAOK, and a fan favorite. He was often compared to the great Nikos Galis, who was at the time the captain
of Aris. Prelević was often quoted for his loyalty to the team. He had a number of injuries and medical emergencies because of weak legs, but he would constantly choose to take heavy dosages of painkillers, rather than missing out on important games. During the 1980s decade, PAOK was second in the Greek League only to Aris.

1991–2000

PAOK won the now defunct

Spanish ACB League club CAI Zaragoza in Geneva, by a score of 76–72, on March 26, 1991. On April 10, after the defeated Greek Cup final against Panionios in Piraeus, a car with PAOK supporters were violently attacked with an improvised molotov cocktail by unknown hooligans on Greek National Road 1
. Two people burned alive and other two people were seriously injured, but they survived. The perpetrators were never found.

In the following 1991–92 season, PAOK once again reached the final of the same competition (then called the FIBA European Cup), but they lost to the Spanish League club Real Madrid Asegurator, by a score of 65–63. The game was heading to overtime, as the two teams were equal at 63 points, when Panagiotis Fasoulas lost the ball to Rickey Brown in the last 2 seconds of the game, and Real Madrid scored an unexpected basket. The same year, PAOK won the Greek League championship, by beating Aris in the league's final four mini stage, and then Olympiacos in the playoff's finals.

In the

FIBA European League (now called EuroLeague), which marked the club's first appearance in the top-tier level European league. PAOK reached the 1993 Athens Final Four. PAOK lost in the semifinal game to the then defending Italian League champions Benetton Treviso, which was led by the Croatian star Toni Kukoč, by a score of 79–77. Two days later, in the third-place game, PAOK defeated Spain's Real Madrid Teka, which was led by the Lithuanian star Arvydas Sabonis and American Rickey Brown
.

In the 1993–94 season, PAOK returned to European success, by winning the European third-tier level FIBA Korać Cup competition, in a two-legged final against the Italian League club Stefanel Trieste. PAOK won both at home and away, by 9 points. The following year, PAOK won the Greek Cup title, in a 19-point victory against Chipita Panionios, by a score of 72–53. In the 1995–96 season, PAOK once again reached the final of the FIBA European Cup (Saporta Cup), but they lost to the Spanish club Taugrés, by a score of 88–81. Three years later in 1999, PAOK again won the Greek Cup title, by defeating AEK Athens, by a score of 71–54.

The new home of PAOK, the

assistant coach
.

During the 1990s decade, PAOK was one of the top teams in the Greek League. They won the Greek League championship in 1992, and also played in the league's finals in 1994, 1998, and 2000. In addition to that, PAOK also made it to the league's semifinals each year, and they finished in 3rd place in the Greek league 1993, 1997, and 1999.

2001–2010

PAOK played in

EuroChallenge
).

PAOK finished in 6th place in the

Lietuvos Rytas. In the Greek League, PAOK finished in 6th place. In the 2005–06 season
, PAOK finished in 6th place in the Greek League.

During a

Montepaschi Siena
.

The

EuroChallenge
). Because of that, PAOK's management decided for the club to take a break from Pan-European leagues, and to instead focus mainly on the Greek League. So the club did not compete in any European-wide leagues in the following 2008–09 and 2009–10 seasons.

PAOK finished in 7th place in the 2008–09 Greek League season. Prior to the start of the 2009–10 season, PAOK hired Soulis Markopoulos to be the team's new head coach. PAOK finished in 5th place in the 2009–10 Greek League season.

2010–2020

PAOK finished 3rd place in the Greek League in the

2017–18 season, PAOK finished in 3rd place in the Greek League. The 2019–20 season was the worst on PAOK history because PAOK finished in the last place of Greek basketball league; but due to COVID-19 pandemic
, it wasn't relegated.

2020–present

2020–21 PAOK started the new decade from the scratch, with a new contributor Mr.Thanasis Chatzopoulos, PAOK kept the team's leader Vangelis Margaritis, brought in some talented young players such as Elijah Mitrou-Long and gave more playing time to athletes from his academy, like Konstantinos Iatridis. These changes seem to be the first step in returning to the higher positions of the Greek League, as well as a steady comeback to European competitions.

Arenas

In earlier times, PAOK played its home games at the

PAOK Sports Arena
.

|PAOK B.C. Arenas Image Gallery

Roster

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationality not displayed.

P.A.O.K.. B.C. roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Wt. Age
G
1 Dominican Republic United States Townes, Marques 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 88 kg (194 lb) 28 – (1995-09-03)3 September 1995
C 4 United States McNeace, Jamuni 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) 101 kg (223 lb) 28 – (1996-03-25)25 March 1996
PG 6 Greece Tsiakmas, Nikos 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) 88 kg (194 lb) 24 – (1999-10-29)29 October 1999
G/F 8 Greece Schizas, Stavros 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) 93 kg (205 lb) 35 – (1989-01-10)10 January 1989
F/C 9 Greece Tsairelis, Michalis 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) 111 kg (245 lb) 36 – (1988-02-23)23 February 1988
PG 10 Iceland Friðriksson, Elvar Már 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) 84 kg (185 lb) 29 – (1994-11-11)11 November 1994
F/C 11 Greece Margaritis, Vangelis (C) 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) 113 kg (249 lb) 41 – (1982-12-05)5 December 1982
SF 12 United States Williams, Cecil 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 98 kg (216 lb) 28 – (1995-05-28)28 May 1995
G
15 Greece Konstantinidis, Thodoris 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) 20 – (2004-02-20)20 February 2004
G/F 19 Greece Arsenopoulos, Nikos 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 91 kg (201 lb) 23 – (2000-05-19)19 May 2000
PG 20 Greece Skoulariotis, Thodoris 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) 19 – (2005-01-21)21 January 2005
PF
21 Greece Sotiriou, Aristotelis 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in) 95 kg (209 lb) 22 – (2001-07-13)13 July 2001
SG 23 Poland Michalak, Michał 1.97 m (6 ft 6 in) 93 kg (205 lb) 30 – (1993-11-02)2 November 1993
F/C 32 United States Alston, Justin 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) 104 kg (229 lb) 29 – (1994-07-02)2 July 1994
G
77 United States Porter Jr., Kevin 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 92 kg (203 lb) 23 – (2000-05-04)4 May 2000
Head coach
  • Greece Stathis Nerantzakis
Assistant coach(es)
  • Greece Babis Karaiskos
  • Greece Thomas Kostopoulos
Athletic trainer(s)
  • Greece Panagiotis Vasileiou
Team manager

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Injured Injured

Updated: 1 April 2024

Depth chart

Pos. Starting 5 Bench 1 Bench 2 Bench 3
C Jamuni McNeace Michalis Tsairelis
PF
Justin Alston Vangelis Margaritis Aristotelis Sotiriou
SF Michał Michalak Cecil Williams Nikos Arsenopoulos
SG Kevin Porter Jr. Stavros Schizas Thodoris Konstantinidis
PG Elvar Már Friðriksson Marques Townes Nikos Tsiakmas Thodoris Skoulariotis

Retired numbers

PAOK Thessaloniki retired numbers
No Nat. Player Position Tenure Date Retired
7 Serbia Branislav Prelević SG 1988–1996, 1999–2000 1 April 2023

Honours

Domestic competitions

Winners (2): 1958–59, 1991–92
Runners-up (8): 1959–60, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1993–94, 1997–98, 1999–00
Winners (3): 1983–84, 1994–95, 1998–99
Runners-up (5): 1981–82, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91, 2018–19

European competitions

3rd place (1): 1992–93
Final Four (1): 1993
Winners (1): 1990–91
Runners-up (2): 1991–92, 1995–96
Semifinalists (1): 1989–90
Winners (1): 1993–94

Individual honours

FIBA Hall of Fame

50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors

Greek Basket League MVP

Greek League Top Scorer

Greek League Top Rebounder

Greek League Assist Leader

Greek League Coach of the Year

Greek Cup MVP

European record

International record

Season Achievement Notes
EuroLeague
1992–93 Final Four 3rd place in Athens, lost to Benetton Treviso 77–79 in the semi-final, defeated Real Madrid Teka 76–70 in the 3rd place game
FIBA Saporta Cup
1984–85 Quarter-finals 4th place in a group with Žalgiris, CAI Zaragoza and Landys&Gyr Wien
1989–90 Semi-finals eliminated by
Knorr Bologna 57–77 (L) in Bologna and 100–94 (W) in Thessaloniki
1990–91 Champions defeated
European Cup Winners' Cup in Geneva
1991–92 Final lost to Real Madrid Asegurator 63–65 in the final (Nantes)
1995–96 Final lost to Taugrés 81–88 in the final (Vitoria)
FIBA Korać Cup
1993–94 Champions defeated
Korać Cup
EuroCup
2004–05 Quarter-finals eliminated by Lietuvos rytas, 74–71 (W) in Thessaloniki and 65–76 (L) in Vilnius

The road to the European Cup victories

Season-by-season

Scroll down to see more.
Season Greek League Greek Cup Europe
Head coach
Roster
1958–59 Champion No tournament No tournament Iraklios Klagkas Orestis Angelidis, Asteriadis, Constantinidis,
Giorgos Oikonomou
, Kiriakou, Klagkas, Kokkos, Pashalis, Stalios, Stergiou, Dimitris Dapontes, Theodoridis
1959–60 Runner Up No tournament
Euroleague
Last 32
1974–75 4th place No tournament
Korać Cup
Last 32
1975–76 9th place Last 32
Korać Cup
Last 32
1981–82 3rd place Runner Up
Korać Cup
Last 32
Theodoros Rodopoulos Vangelis Alexandris, Panagiotis Fasoulas, Manthos Katsoulis, Giannis Politis, Zaharias Katsoulis, Dimitris Kalpakis, Christos Konstantinidis, Thanasis Koumatsiotis, Gaitanis, Delapashos, Bourlivas, Stratis, Dimitris Tsakagiannis
1982–83 Runner Up Last 4
Cup Winners' Cup
Last 16
Theodoros Rodopoulos Vangelis Alexandris, Panagiotis Fasoulas, Giannis Politis, Zaharias Katsoulis, Alexis Bakopoulos, Dimitris Kalpakis, Christos Konstantinidis, Thanasis Koumatsiotis, Gaitanis, Polichronakos, Bourlivas, Michael Angelidis
1983–84 3rd place Winner
Korać Cup
Last 16
Harry Pappas,
Faidon Matthaiou
Panagiotis Fasoulas, Nikos Stavropoulos, Manthos Katsoulis, Vangelis Alexandris, Giannis Politis, Zaharias Katsoulis, Alexis Bakopoulos, Dimitris Kalpakis, Christos Konstantinidis, Thanasis Koumatsiotis, Polikratis, Michael Angelidis, Polichronakos
1984–85 Runner Up Last 4
Cup Winners' Cup
Last 8
Josip Gjergja Panagiotis Fasoulas, Nikos Stavropoulos, Steve Giatzoglou, Manthos Katsoulis, Vangelis Alexandris, Sotiris Sakellariou, Giannis Politis, Zaharias Katsoulis, Alexis Bakopoulos, Dimitris Kalpakis, Platon Hotokouridis, Thanasis Koumatsiotis, Bill Varner, Dick Mumma
1985–86 5th place Last 16
Korać Cup
Last 16
Theodoros Rodopoulos Takis Koroneos, Nikos Stavropoulos, Manthos Katsoulis, Sotiris Sakellariou, Zaharias Katsoulis, Takis Karatzoulidis, Alexis Bakopoulos, Dimitris Dontsios, Platon Hotokouridis, Thanasis Koumatsiotis, Panagiotis Kalogiros, Christos Konstantinidis, Bill Varner, Mark Simpson
1986–87 3rd place Last 16
Korać Cup
Last 32
Orestis Angelidis
1987–88 Runner Up Last 8
Korać Cup
Last 16
Johnny Neumann
1988–89 Runner Up Runner Up
Korać Cup
Last 16
Johnny Neumann,
Kostas Politis
, Hatzigeorgiou
1989–90 Runner Up Runner Up
Cup Winners' Cup
Last 4
Kostas Politis
Christos Papasarantou
1990–91 Runner Up Runner Up
Cup Winners' Cup
Winner
Kostas Politis,
Sakis Laios,
Dragan Šakota
1991–92 Champion Last 4
European Cup
Runner Up
Dušan Ivković , Paliouras, Parisopoulos, Tsafrakidis, Karapournos
1992–93 3rd place Last 8
3rd place
Dušan Ivković
1993–94 Runner Up Last 4
Korać Cup
Winner
Dušan Ivković,
Soulis Markopoulos
1994–95 4th place Winner
Last 16
Dragan Šakota,
Sakis Laios,
Vangelis Alexandris
1995–96 4th place Last 16
Runner Up
Dimitris Itoudis
1996–97 3rd place Last 16
Korać Cup
Last 16
Michel Gomez,
Scott Skiles
1997–98 Runner Up Last 16
Last 16
Zvi Sherf
1998–99 3rd place Winner
Last 32
Zvi Sherf,
Kostas Flevarakis
1999–00
Runner Up
Last 16
Last 16
Petar Skansi,
Kostas Flevarakis
2000–01 8th place Last 8
Euroleague
Last 16
Kostas Flevarakis, Ioannis Sfairopoulos
2001–02 8th place Last 16
Korać Cup
Last 32
Slobodan Subotić,
Vangelis Alexandris
2002–03 7th place Last 16
EuroCup Challenge
Last 16
Bane Prelević
2003–04 6th place Last 16
EuroChallenge
Withdrawn
Bane Prelević
2004–05 6th place Last 4
ULEB Cup
Last 8
Bane Prelević
2005–06
6th place
Last 4
EuroChallenge
Last 32
Bane Prelević,
Soulis Markopoulos
2006–07
6th place
Last 8
ULEB Cup
Last 16
Kostas Pilafidis,
Vangelis Alexandris
2007–08
12th place
Last 8
EuroChallenge
Last 16
John Korfas
2008–09
7th place
Last 16 Not participated Argyris Pedoulakis,
Georgios Kalafatakis
2009–10
5th place
Last 8 Not participated Soulis Markopoulos
2010–11
3rd place
Last 4
Group Stage
Soulis Markopoulos left during the season)
2011–12
8th place
Last 4
Qualifying round
Soulis Markopoulos left during the season)
Group Stage
2012–13
5th place
Last 16 Not participated Soulis Markopoulos
Michalis Liapis, Thomas Ambaras
2013–14
3rd place
Last 16
Group Stage
Soulis Markopoulos 4
Michalis Liapis, 18 Antonis Koniaris, 19 Thomas Kottas
2014–15 3rd place Last 4
Eurocup
Last 32
Soulis Markopoulos 4 left during season)
2015–16 5th place Last 4
Eurocup
Last 32
Soulis Markopoulos 4 left during season)
2016–17 5th place Last 8 Basketball Champions League
Last 16
Soulis Markopoulos 2 Nathan Sobey, 4 Linos Chrysikopoulos, 6 Antonis Koniaris, 9 Apollon Tsochlas, 11 Vangelis Margaritis, 12 Thad McFadden, 13 Nenad Miljenović, 14 Andreas Glyniadakis, 16 Dimitris Karamanolis, 18 Jordan Sibert, 19 Nikos Kamaras, 20 Vassilis Papadopoulos, 31 Žanis Peiners, 33 Keith Clanton, 42 Ivan Aska, (Brandon Taylor, Darryl Bryant left during season)
2017–18
3rd place
Last 8 Basketball Champions League
Last 16
Ilias Papatheodorou 2 left during season)
2018–19
5th place
Runner Up Basketball Champions League
Last 16
Ilias Papatheodorou 1
Giannis Athinaiou, Malik Pope, Nondas Papantoniou
left during season)
2019–20 14th place / Curtailed season due to COVID-19 pandemic Last 8 Basketball Champions League
Group Stage
Kostas Flevarakis,
Kostas Charalampidis,
Kostas Mexas
0 left during season)
2020–21
5th place
Last 4 Not participated Kostas Mexas,
Aris Lykogiannis
2 Beau Beech, 5 Sagaba Konate, 6 Jermaine Love, 8 Malcolm Griffin, 10 Georgios Tsalmpouris, 11 Vangelis Margaritis, Anagnostis Papasavoglou, 14 Dimitris Kaklamanakis, 15 Antonis Karagiannidis, 17 Apostolos Roumoglou, 20 Konstantinos Iatridis, 21 Georgios Kamperidis, 22 Nondas Papantoniou, 23 Josh Carter, 31 Elston Turner Jr., 55 Elijah Mitrou-Long, (Alan Herndon left during season)
2021–22
9th place
Last 8 Basketball Champions League
play-ins prior to the qualification to the round of 16

Lost to SIG Strasbourg 2-0 in a best-of-three series

Aris Lykogiannis 1 left during season)
2022–23
4th place

progressed to semifinals after beating 2-1 Promitheas Patras in a best-of-3 series at the quarter finals, lost 3-0 to Olympiacos in a best-of-five series at the semi finals, lost 3-0 Peristeri in a best-of-five series for the 3rd place

Last 8

Lost to Peristeri 77-64 in the quarterfinals of the Final-8 tournament

Basketball Champions League
play-ins prior to the qualification to the round of 16

Lost to Rytas 2-1 in a best-of-three series

Aris Lykogiannis,
Fotis Takianos
0 Yannick Franke, 2 Zaccheus Darko-Kelly, 5 Jalen Riley, 6 Nikos Tsiakmas, 8 Jaylen Hands, 11 Vangelis Margaritis, 12 Tyler Polley, 13 Diamantis Slaftsakis,15 Thodoris Konstantinidis, 18 Jordan Sibert, 19 Stratos Kalliontzis, 20 Dimitris Kaklamanakis, 21 Georgios Kamperidis, 22 Christos Saloustros, 35 Nate Renfro, 40 Thodoris Skoulariotis (Zisis Sarikopoulos and Vassilis Christidis left during season)
2023–24 In progress In progress Basketball Champions League
play-ins prior to the qualification to the round of 16

Lost to Tofaş 1-2 in a best-of-three series

Fotis Takianos 1 Marques Townes 2 Michael Gilmore, 4 Jamune McNeace, 6 Nikos Tsiakmas, 8 Stavros Schizas, 9 Michalis Tsairelis, 10 Elvar Már Friðriksson 11 Vangelis Margaritis, 12 Cecil Williams, 15 Thodoris Konstantinidis, 19 Nikos Arsenopoulos, 19 Stratos Kalliontzis, 20 Thodoris Skoulariotis, 21 Aristotelis Sotiriou, 32 Justin Alston (Skyler Flatten, Kendall Smith, Laurynas Beliauskas and Andrew Harrison left during season)

Notable players

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationality not displayed.

Criteria

To appear in this section a player must have either:

  • Set a club record or won an individual award while at the club
  • Played at least one official international match for their national team at any time
  • Played at least one official
    NBA
    match at any time.
Greece
USA
Europe
South America
Africa
Oceania

Club captains

P.A.O.K. B.C. team captains, since the 1979–80 season:

Period Team Captain
1979–1984 Greece Giannis Politis
1984–1988 Greece Manthos Katsoulis
1988–1993 Greece Panagiotis Fasoulas
1993–1996
Bane Prelević
1996–1998 Greece Nikos Boudouris
1998–2000 Greece Georgios Balogiannis
2000–2001 Greece Giannis Giannoulis
2001–2002 Italy Claudio Coldebella
2002–2003 Greece Georgios Limniatis
2003–2006 Greece Kostas Vasileiadis
2006–2007 Greece Giannis Kalampokis
2007–2008
Dimitris Verginis
2008–2009 Greece Kostas Vasileiadis
2009–2010 Greece Dimitris Kalaitzidis
2010–2011 Greece Lazaros Papadopoulos
2011–2012 Greece Michalis Giannakidis
2012–2013 Greece Lazaros Papadopoulos
2013–2015 Greece Kostas Charalampidis
2015–2016 Greece Kostas Vasileiadis
2016–2021 Greece Vangelis Margaritis
2021–2022 United States Jermaine Love
2022–present Greece Vangelis Margaritis

Head coaches

This is a list of P.A.O.K.. B.C. head coaches since the 1957–58 season:

Sponsorships

See also

References

Sources

External links

Press

Media