Strumica 2001 clinched promotion to the MTEL Super Liga on Saturday, beating Butel 81-76 in a tense deciding Game 3 to close out the Prva Makedonska Liga final series 2-1.
The third and decisive contest was a tight affair throughout, with the Strumica side holding a slim advantage for most of the second half before Butel's late push fell just short. The five-point margin reflected the competitive nature of a series that swung back and forth across three games each team had won one of the first two legs before Strumica prevailed on their home court when it mattered most.
The title earns Strumica 2001 named for the year of their founding a place in North Macedonia's top tier for the 2026-27 season, where they will compete against the likes of MZT Skopje, Rabotnicki, and the other established Super Liga clubs. The promotion represents a historic moment for basketball in the southeastern city, located near the Greek and Bulgarian borders.
Butel, based in the Skopje municipality of the same name, pushed Strumica to the limit across the series but ultimately fell one game short of claiming the promotion spot themselves.