THESSALONIKI (Basketball Champions League) - DeMarcus Nelson poured in 17 big points and ASVEL did just enough in the fourth quarter to claim a 67-61 win at PAOK on Gameday 4 in the Basketball Champions League.

Looking to bounce back from a 14-point defeat at Neptunas Klaipeda, ASVEL led by 8 points in the first half but with Linos Chrysikopoulos scoring repeatedly on drives to the basket, the hosts stayed within striking distance and eventually took the lead in the third quarter.

Midway through the frame, the Greek club started to feed the ball to their big center Keith Clanton and he reeled off 6 straight points in the low post for a 45-41 advantage.

A drive by Walter Hodge, who had spent most of the first half on the bench after picking up a technical foul, at the end of the period knotted the game at 49-49 while in the final quarter, key blows were landed by Nelson when he scored 6 of his points.

PAOK had a late charge and closed the gap to 62-59 when Apollon Tsochlas was fouled while attempting a 3-pointer. He made all three free-throws but with an opportunity to knot it soon after, Tsochlas's pass was intercepted by Bandja Sy and the 26-year-old raced to the other end for what was effectively a game-clinching dunk.

"Both teams battled all the way to the end," Nelson said. "We thought that maybe the game was over. I think we were up 8 with 50 seconds left but they made it a game down the stretch. It was a battle to the finish." 

The win on the road for ASVEL has left both teams with 2-2 records in an exciting Group C.