Preview: PAOK at Murcia in FIBA Europe Cup Clash

MURCIA, Spain (Interstat) — A swift FIBA Europe Cup rematch with heightened stakes is set for Wednesday when PAOK visits UCAM Murcia at Palacio de Deportes de Murcia.

Just one week after PAOK secured a 79-73 home victory on April 1, the teams reconvene with Murcia looking to defend its home court and leverage its superior season record. Murcia (32-11 across all competitions) has been formidable, while PAOK (26-12) arrives with momentum from a tight 93-90 win over Karditsas on Saturday.

The guard matchup will be pivotal. PAOK’s Tomas Dimsa is in strong form, averaging 16.1 points over his last seven games. He scored 23 points in the recent Karditsas win and had 7 points and 5 assists in the previous victory over Murcia. For the hosts, Jonah Radebaugh is a dynamic all-around threat. He bounced back from a quiet 1-point outing in the loss at PAOK with a dominant 17-point, 7-rebound, 5-assist performance in a rout of Badalona on Saturday.

Murcia’s home floor has been a fortress, with the team winning four of its last five there, including decisive victories over Bilbao and Gran Canaria in March. Their only recent home stumble was a non-competition loss to Florida in February. PAOK has shown resilience on the road but carries the memory of a recent 75-70 loss at Peristeri.

Beyond the star guards, PAOK will rely on forwards Cleveland Melvin and Ben Moore, who combined for 32 points in Saturday’s win. Murcia counters with a balanced attack; Wilhelm Falk and Howard Sant-Roos each grabbed 8 rebounds in the Badalona game.

With both teams entrenched in their domestic league schedules beyond this, this midweek European contest offers a critical opportunity to build postseason momentum. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:45 p.m. local time (1945 GMT).