PAOK BC

PAOK Thessaloniki BC
PAOK Thessaloniki BC logo
Nickname	Double-Headed Eagle of The North
Leagues	Greek League Greek Cup
Founded	1928
History	1928 - present
Arena	PAOK Sports Arena (capacity: 8,650)
Location	Thessaloniki, Greece
Team colors	white and black
President	Dimitris Drosos
Head coach	Argiris Pedoulakis
Championships	1 Saporta Cup (1991) 1 Korać Cup (1994) 2 Greek Championships (1959, 1992) 3 Greek Cups (1984, 1995, 1999)
Website	www.paokbc.gr
Home Away

PAOK Thessaloniki BC is the professional basketball team of the Greek PAOK sport department, that was founded in 1926 and is based in Thessaloniki, Greece. The club has established a firm reputation in Greek sports, especially for its success in European leagues. The club has maintained a presence in the Greek First Division (A1 Ethniki) since the year 1960.

Well-known players that have played with the club over the years have included: Peja Stojaković, Scott Skiles, Rasho Nesterovič, Walter "The Truth" Berry, Tracy Murray, Cliff Levingston, Ken Barlow, Rafael Addison, and Panagiotis Liadelis.

History

1928-1980

The basketball section of PAOK was created in 1928 when Alekos Alexiadis, a young member of the administration council, took the initiative to create a basketball team. He "gave birth" to the basketball department again after World War II. After the war, Alekos Alexiadis began to organize a basketball team from the children that played in the only basketball court in Thessaloniki. The first honor for PAOK was the win of the 1959 Greek League. The team was crowned Champions of Greece with the following players; Dapontes, Kyriakou, Oikonomou, Paschalis, Stalios, Kokkos, Theoridis, Angelidis, Stergiou, Konstantinidis, and player-coach Iraklis Klagas. Four years later the Greek League was reconstructed to a professional National League but PAOK was placed in the Second National Division, winning immediate promotion to the first division the next year. The worst season of the club to date was in 1977 when PAOK avoided relegation with a 66-53 play-out win over Democritus.

1980-1990

PAOK met Panathinaikos in its first Greek Cup Final, in 1982. The Athenians managed to scrape through a two point victory, despite the game being played in Alexandrio Melathron, the then PAOK home ground. The next season the team finished second to Aris, being defeated only in one game by the champions.

The success of both Aris and PAOK fueled the ongoing rivalry between their fans that had long been established in football. In 1984, the two teams reached the Greek Cup Final. PAOK coach, Faidonas Mathaiou, 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 Branislav Prelevic debuted in the 1988-89 season. He became the definitive leader and a fan favorite, often compared to the great Nick Galis, who was at the time the captain of Aris. Prelevic 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.

1990-2000

PAOK brought limitless joy to its fans by winning the European Cup Winners' Cup when PAOK defeated Zaragoza in Geneva 76-72 on March 26, 1991.

The next season PAOK reached the final again but lost to Real Madrid 63-65. The game was going to overtime, as the two teams were equal at 63 points, when Panagiotis Fasoulas lost the ball in the last 2 seconds and the Real players scored an unexpected basket. In the same year PAOK won the Greek Championship, beating out Aris and Olympiacos.

PAOK participated in the 1992-93 European Champion's Cup for the first time and managed to reach the Athens Final Four. PAOK lost in the semi final game to Benetton Treviso, which was led by superstar Toni Kukoč by a score of 77-79 .

In 1994 PAOK returned to European success by winning the Korać Cup two-leg final against Pallacanestro Trieste, winning both at home and away by 9 points. The following year PAOK won the Greek Cup in a 19 point victory against Panionios 72-53. In 1999 PAOK again won the Greek Cup by defeating AEK Athens 71-54.

2000-2007

The new home of PAOK, the PAOK Sports Arena, able to hold 8,650 fans, was inaugurated on 17 March, 2000. That marked the end of a long period of time of sharing the home court of Alexandrio Melathron with Aris. Bane Prelevic returned to PAOK after quick spells at Kinder Bologna and AEK and then quit basketball at the end of the season. He later returned to PAOK in the 2001-2002 season as an assistant coach.

PAOK finished 6th in the 2003-04 Greek A1 League season, boasting a squad full of youngsters. Prelevic become head coach and led the team into a short winning streak. A month after the start of the A1 Ethniki 2006-07 season, Prelevic was replaced by Kostas Pilafidis and assumed a non-technical position as the General Manager of the team. During a game that year PAOK and Aris put on a spectacular show that PAOK ended up winning after two overtime periods (101-99). PAOK changed coaches again in 2007 when Vangelis Alexandris took over as the team's head coach.

Honors

• Total Titles: 7
  • Cup Winners' Cup/Saporta Cup: 1
    • 1991
  • Korać Cup: 1
    • 1994
  • Greek Championships: 2
    • 1959, 1992
  • Greek Cups: 3
    • 1984, 1995, 1999

Greece 1959 Greek Championship 1982 Greek Cup Finalists 1983 Greek Championship 2nd place 1988 Greek Championship 2nd place 1989 Greek Championship 2nd place 1990 Greek Championship 2nd place 1991 Greek Championship 2nd place 1992 Greek Championship 1993 Greek Championship 3nd place 1994 Greek Championship 2nd place 1998 Greek Championship 2nd place 1999 Greek Cup 2000 Greek Championship 2nd place

Europe 1989-1990 Cup Winners', Cup Semi Final 1990-1991 European Cup Holder's Cup Winners 1991-1992 European Cup Holder's Cup Finalists 1992-1993 European Champion's Cup 3rd place 1993-1994 Korac Cup Winners 1995-1996 European Cup Finalists 1999-2000 FIBA Euroleague 1/8 Finals 2000-2001 ULEB Euroleague 1/8 Finals 2004-2005 ULEB Cup Quarter Finalists

Basketball Squad

Current Roster

The numbers are established according to the official website of the team (www.paokbc.gr).

As of October 2008:

Template:Euroleague roster header |- | style="text-align:center;" | SF | style="text-align:center;" | 7 | style="text-align:center;" | | style="text-align:left;" | Vassiliadis, Kostas (C) | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | 100 kg (220 lb) | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | | style="text-align:center; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%"| |-

|- | style="text-align:center;" | C | style="text-align:center;" | 9 | style="text-align:center;" | | style="text-align:left;" | Tsiaras, Giorgos | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | 111 kg (245 lb) | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | | style="text-align:center; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%"| |-

|- | style="text-align:center;" | PF | style="text-align:center;" | 17 | style="text-align:center;" | | style="text-align:left;" | Simtsak, Vassilis | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | 2.07 m (6 ft 9 in) | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | | style="text-align:center; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%"| |-

|- | style="text-align:center;" | PG | style="text-align:center;" | 18 | style="text-align:center;" | | style="text-align:left;" | Galazaulas, Karolos | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | | style="text-align:center; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%"| |-

|- | style="text-align:center;" | SF | style="text-align:center;" | 19 | style="text-align:center;" | | style="text-align:left;" | Demertzis, Yiannis | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | | style="text-align:center; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%"| |-

|- | style="text-align:center;" | PG | style="text-align:center;" | 6 | style="text-align:center;" | | style="text-align:left;" | Harisis, Christos | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | 91 kg (201 lb) | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | | style="text-align:center; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%"| |-

|- | style="text-align:center;" | SG | style="text-align:center;" | 8 | style="text-align:center;" | | style="text-align:left;" | Kyritsis, Alexis | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | 91 kg (201 lb) | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | | style="text-align:center; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%"| |-

|- | style="text-align:center;" | PG | style="text-align:center;" | 5 | style="text-align:center;" | | style="text-align:left;" | Kafkis, Panayiotis | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | 1.97 m (6 ft 6 in) | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | 95 kg (209 lb) | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | | style="text-align:center; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%"| |-

|- | style="text-align:center;" | PF | style="text-align:center;" | 4 | style="text-align:center;" | | style="text-align:left;" | Wesson, K'zell | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | 120 kg (265 lb) | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | | style="text-align:center; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%"| |-

|- | style="text-align:center;" | SG | style="text-align:center;" | - | style="text-align:center;" | | style="text-align:left;" | Giannakidis, Michalis | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | | style="text-align:center; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%"| |-

|- | style="text-align:center;" | PF | style="text-align:center;" | 16 | style="text-align:center;" | | style="text-align:left;" | Kalambakas, Dimitris | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | | style="text-align:center; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%"| |-

|- | style="text-align:center;" | C | style="text-align:center;" | 15 | style="text-align:center;" | | style="text-align:left;" | Marmarinos, Dimitris | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | 113 kg (249 lb) | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | | style="text-align:center; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%"| |-

|- | style="text-align:center;" | C | style="text-align:center;" | 14 | style="text-align:center;" | | style="text-align:left;" | Tomasevic, Dejan | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | 113 kg (249 lb) | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | | style="text-align:center; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%"| |-

|- | style="text-align:center;" | SG | style="text-align:center;" | 12 | style="text-align:center;" | | style="text-align:left;" | Gregory, Kenny | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | 1.97 m (6 ft 6 in) | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | 95 kg (209 lb) | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | | style="text-align:center; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%"| |-

|- | style="text-align:center;" | SF | style="text-align:center;" | 10 | style="text-align:center;" | | style="text-align:left;" | Diarra, Mamoutou | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | 95 kg (209 lb) | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | | style="text-align:center; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%"| |-

|- | style="text-align:center;" | PG | style="text-align:center;" | - | style="text-align:center;" | | style="text-align:left;" | Mulaomerovic, Damir | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | 98 kg (216 lb) | style="text-align:left; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%" | | style="text-align:center; white-space:nowrap; font-size: 85%"| |-

Notable Players

PAOK fans have had the opportunity to party with legendary European players and also world famous basketball players that have played wearing the jersey of their team.

Panagiotis Fasoulas John Korfas Nikos "Magic" Stavropoulos Nikos Boudouris Efthimios Rentzias Manthos Katsoulis Aggelos Koronios Giorgos Sigalas Nasos Galakteros Pet Papachronis Panagiotis Liadelis Panayiotis Vasilopoulos Kostas Vassiliadis Nestoras Kommatos Loukas Mavrokefalidis Memos Ioannou Nikos Filippou Ioannis Giannoulis Giorgos Balogiannis Christos Tsekos Giannis Kalambokis Dimitris Verginis Giannis Gagaloudis Lefteris Kakiouzis

Scott Skiles Ken Barlow Walter Berry Cliff Levingston Conrad McRae Anthony Bonner Tracy Murray Anthony Avent Victor Alexander Mike Jones Matt Bullard Jerrod Mustaf Darius Washington Jr. Lawrence Funderburke C.J. Watson J. R. Bremer "Dollar" Bill Edwards Earl Harrison Michael-Hakim Jordan Torraye Braggs Rafael Addison Wendell Alexis Jerome Allen Alton Ford Lee Humphrey Andy Panko Tre Simmons

Predrag Stojaković Branislav Prelević Zoran Savić Branko Milisavljević Rasho Nesterović Damir Mulaomerović Amit Tamir Sergei Bazarevich Mamadou N'Diaye Vlado Šćepanović İbrahim Kutluay Blagota Sekulić Claudio Coldebella Matthew Nielsen Frederic Weis

Former Coaches

• Kostas Politis
• Fedon Mattheou
• Efthimis Kioumourtzoglou
• Soulis Markopoulos
• Vangelis Alexandris
• Johnny Neumann
• Scott Skiles
• Dragan Šakota
• Dušan Ivković
• Branislav Prelević
• Zvi Sherf

External links

• PAOK Thessaloniki Football Club - Official Website (Greek) (English)
• PAOK Thessaloniki History - PAOK Thessaloniki History provided on behalf of Melbourne Club PAOK (English)
• PAOKworld- Most informative PAOK Thessaloniki Forum (Greek) (English)
• PAOKmania - PAOK Thessaloniki Supporters Downloads, Radio & News (Greek)

References

• ESAKE Official Website(Greek)
• Eurobasket PAOK BC Page (English)
• Galanis Sports data