PAOK beat Udine 89-71: Cedi Osman shines with 22 points, Trinchieri succeeds in squad experiment

PAOK opened their preseason tour in Italy with an impressive 89-71 friendly win over Udine. Cedi Osman led the way with 22 points, while Kyle Alexander had 14 and Naz Mitrou-Long and Hutchins added 13 each. At one point PAOK led by 26 points, with the score at 70-44, before Udine reduced the gap in the final minutes. Coach Andrea Trinchieri used the match to give playing time to almost the entire squad, testing different lineups and rotations. The team showed good ball movement, transition offense and depth in scoring. Osman impressed not only with his scoring but also with his off-ball movement and passing, adapting quickly to the system. PAOK controlled most of the game and looked solid in the half-court. The positive signs were balanced scoring and good coordination among the new players. However, the head coach will be cautious about the team's drop in concentration late in the game, which allowed Udine to cut the lead. It was a useful opening test, and PAOK continue their preseason preparations in Italy with more work to do on defense and maintaining intensity for 40 minutes.