Zielona Gora tops PAOK for first win


Stelmet Zielona Gora outlasted PAOK Thessaloniki 84-77 Tuesday for its first victory of the Eurocup season. The result kept the hosts’ chances to reach the Last 32 alive, while dropping PAOK to 4-3 in Group F and mathematically clinching idle Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar’s berth in the next stage. Quinton Hosley led the Zielona Gora attack with 17 points, Przemyslaw Zamojski shot 4 for 4 from downtown for 14 points, Steve Burtt Jr. added 13 points and Lukasz Koszarek tallied 11 points and 5 assists. Julian Vaughn did not miss from the field en route to 19 points for PAOK. Kevin Langford scored 13 in defeat, Jake Odum recorded 12 points and 5 assists and Marc Carter added 10. Zielona Gora pulled away in the second quarter for a 32-21 lead, but PAOK rallied to get to 36-34 at halftime. The hosts maintained the lead throughout the second half; Carter brought PAOK within 3 in the final minutes, but Zielona Gora made the shots that counted to pick up the win.

It was an ideal start for the visitors as Vaughn netted a pair of second-chance baskets before Odum made it 0-6. Zielona Gora returned fire as Zamojski sank a triple and Hosley capped a 7-0 response. After Christos Saloustros connected on PAOK’s first three, Adam Hrycaniuk scored on the offensive glass to tie the game at 9-9. Carter’s triple gave PAOK the lead, but it would be brief as Zamojski hit two more from downtown to make it 17-14. Hosley boosted the hosts to 20-16 after 10 minutes. Langford free throws brought PAOK within 2, but Burtt and Chevon Troutman kept Stelmet in control and a Kamil Chanas triple made it 27-18. After Langford split free throws, Burtt established the game’s first double-digit advantage and later drained a three for a 32-21 lead midway through the second quarter. PAOK picked itself up and reeled off 10 unanswered points to get back in the game; Apollon Tsochlas hit a three and dished 2 assists to lead the run. Hrycaniuk took a pass from Koszarek to end the Zielona Gora drought and Burtt scored again before Langford’s eighth free throw of the half made it 36-34 at the break.

Hosley scored to start the second half and a Chanas three gave Zielona Gora some breathing room. Vaughn separated himself from the pack in the paint and a Georgios Dedas three-pointer brought PAOK within 43-41. Vaughn sank 2 free throws and then scored inside to tie the game at 45-45. Free throws by Hosley and Zamojski put the hosts back in front. Zamojski’s fourth three of the game made it 53-48. PAOK stayed close as Dedas scored from downtown, but Daniel Johnson left Zielona Gora protecting a 59-53 advantage through three quarters. Johnson added a three early in the fourth before Troutman free throws restored a double-digit Zieloan Gora lead. Odum answered with a three and Vaughn scored inside, but the hosts responded each time to keep a comfortable distance. Burtt free throws put Zielona Gora up 72-60 with six minutes remaining. Odum free throws and a Carter three hardly narrowed the gap as Koszarek hit from downtown. Carter breathed life into the game late when he scored to make it 78-72, grabbed a defensive rebound and drained a three. Carter missed another shot from downtown that would have tied it with a little more than a minute remaining. Aaron Cel scored a crucial basket to put Zielona Gora up 80-75. Vaughn trimmed the difference to 3 from the line, but Koszarek free throws with 20 seconds left kept the hosts two possessions ahead and a Hosley layup iced the outcome.