BARCELONA, Spain — Panathinaikos won the Euroleague basketball final Sunday, beating Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv 78-70 behind 16 points and nine assists from Dimitris Diamantidis.
This was the sixth European title and third in five years for the Greek club. Italy's Montepaschi Siena beat Real Madrid 80-62 for third place.
Mike Batiste, who also won the title with Panathinaikos in 2007 and '09, scored 18 points and Drew Nicholas added 14. Maccabi's Chuck Eidson had 17.
The Israelis were within three points at halftime, but their outside shooting faltered in the second half when it made just 1-of-9 from beyond the arc. Panathinaikos used a strong third quarter to build a double-digit lead, then withstood a late run from Maccabi.
Lior Eliyahu pulled Maccabi within five points with 1:20 to play before Diamantidis found Batiste for a layup. The Greeks then sealed the outcome from the foul line as thousands of green-clad Panathinaikos fans began to celebrate.
Diamantidis, the regular-season MVP, was also the MVP of the Final Four. The only others to win Final Four MVP awards more than once are Toni Kukoc (four) and Dejan Bodiroga (two).
Panathinaikos joins CSKA Moscow at six titles, two behind leader Real Madrid. Coach Zeljko Obradovic won his eighth European crown and fourth with Panathinaikos.