MADRID, May 8 (Xinuha) -- Panathinaikos defeated Maccabi Tel Aviv in the final of basketball's EuroLeague Final Four in Barcelona on Sunday.

Panathinaikos showed they are the best basketball team in Europe after defeating the Israelis in a game in which they always held the advantage.

The Greeks took a 22-15 lead in the first quarter and although they had to withstand a fightback from their rivals in the second period, led by point guard Dimitris Diamantridis, who was the Most Valuable Player of the final, they extended their lead in the third period and were again able to control Maccabi's attempts to get back into the game in the final 10 minutes.

Thousands of Greeks fans among the 16,000 supporters in the Palau San Jordi helped provide a magnificent atmosphere and the side which had knocked reigning champions Barcelona out in the quarterfinals showed itself to be the worthy winners.

Panathinaikos had reached the final after beating Montepaschi Sienna in their semifinal on Friday, while Maccabi Tel Aviv had humiliated Real Madrid by 82-63 to seal the final spot.

The third and fourth place play-off game between Montepaschi and Real Madrid was played earlier in the day and allowed Montepaschi to take some consolation with an 80-62 points win against Real Madrid.

The Italians were too powerful for a Madrid side which paid for its inexperience in the Final Four and which will have to travel back home after suffering the disappointment of two heavy defeats.

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