PAOK vs. Peristeri. Tomorrow (March 11 at 18:00) at PAOK Sports Arena, the first of three total games that the two teams will play within a span of 10 days. While the third match, on March 21, will be the typical away game at “Andreas Papandreou” Indoor Hall, the two earlier games carry a very special significance, as they will be played in the quarterfinals of the FIBA Europe Cup.
The prize is a place in the Semi Finals of the competition, in a process that is quite familiar for PAOK. Not only because the team has reached the FIBA Europe Cup quarterfinals for the second consecutive year, but also because Peristeri becomes the fifth Greek team that PAOK has faced in a European competition. Tomorrow’s game will be the eleventh encounter that could be described as a Greek “derby” in Europe.

The story began in February 1994, exactly 32 years ago. PAOK’s game against Panionios in Nea Smyrni on February 16, 1994, was not just a Korac Cup semifinal, but also the first-ever European match between two Greek teams.

PAOK went through a tough battle and, with an 85–83 victory (Turner 37, F. Christodoulou 19 – Berry 25, Korfas 16), took the first step toward qualification for the finals. One week later in Thessaloniki, PAOK sealed the qualification with an 82–64 win (Galakteros 22, Berry 10 – Turner 20, Stokes 15) over Panionios. Three weeks later, on March 16, 1994, PAOK went on to win the Korac Cup.

In the very next season (1994–95), PAOK faced Panathinaikos in the EuroLeague group stage. PAOK suffered a 72–63 defeat in Athens (Paspalj 28, Alvertis 17 – Prelevic 20, Savic 15) — the only loss for PAOK in five away Greek European derbies — but responded with an 80–70 victory in the return game in Thessaloniki (Savic 24, Prelevic 23 – Oikonomou 23, Alvertis 12).

During the 1998–99 season, PAOK met Olympiacos in the EuroLeague group stage and recorded two victories. They won 71–57 in the first game at Peace and Friendship Stadium (Goldwire 16, Tomic 12 – Maslarinos 20, Berry 15) and 72–66 in the second game at Alexandreio Melathron (King 20, Berry 19 – Komazec 16, Tomic 15).

The following season (1999–00), PAOK once again faced a Greek opponent in its EuroLeague journey. It was Panathinaikos again. PAOK lost 69–77 in Thessaloniki (Giannoulis 16, Alexander 15 – Bodiroga 17, Alvertis 14) but won 75–71 at OAKA (Bodiroga 19, Rebraca 18 – Edwards 22, Maslarinos 17). This remains PAOK’s last away victory against Panathinaikos in any competition to this day.

PAOK’s most recent European clash against a Greek team took place in the 2018–19 season during the Basketball Champions League playoffs. PAOK faced AEK in a two-game series decided by aggregate score. PAOK lost 75–84 (Koniaris 18, Tepic 12 – Hunter 20, Sakota 16) at PAOK Sports Arena, and although they won 63–62 (Hunter 11, Maciulis 10 – Jefferson 11, Margaritis 10) at OAKA, it was not enough to secure qualification.

Overall, in 10 European games against Greek teams, PAOK has recorded 7 wins and 3 losses, with one qualification (against Panionios) and one elimination (against AEK). The six games against Olympiacos and Panathinaikos were group-stage matches that did not determine qualification but affected the standings in EuroLeague groups.