Baskonia capitalized on Valencia Basket’s circumstances, securing a hard-fought 86-88 win that puts them in contention for the third spot. Physical and mental fatigue weighed heavily on the home side, who struggled in the final quarter. Despite this, they could have won the game if Moore had converted his last possession. Montero played less than ten minutes, and his absence was felt. Moore tried to take charge, but it wasn’t enough against a Basque side led by Luwawu-Cabarrot, who scored 19 points, and Omoruyi, who also contributed to the victory. The bad news came from Braxton Key, who had to leave the game early after a heavy blow to the face, raising concerns ahead of Valencia Basket’s crucial “final” against Panathinaikos on Wednesday for a spot in the Euroleague Final Four.
If anyone thought Valencia Basket would come out relaxed, with their minds on the fifth game against Panathinaikos in the Euroleague, they don’t know the taronja team. Pedro Martínez’s squad hit the court with determination and intensity. Baskonia, fighting for second place, started inspired from beyond the arc, hitting two consecutive three-pointers. Sako emerged as a leader, scoring the first eight points for Valencia, who went on a 12-0 run to pull ahead on the scoreboard.
Galbiati didn’t like what he saw. He called a timeout, and his team responded with ten straight points, thanks to Spagnolo’s masterful direction, driving the Basque side. The game was tightly contested until Pradilla started to dominate in the paint, putting the taronja ahead after the first quarter. The game was a series of bursts—Valencia would strike and pull away, and Baskonia would answer to tie it up. Two runs: 7-0 and 0-7. That’s how entertaining the basketball was, as no team held a dominant edge. The good news in this period came from Sedekerskis, who returned to action after five months off the court due to injury. Luwawu-Cabarrot provided the downside, leaving the game early with discomfort after a bad fall, but he soon returned to the fray.
The game entered a lull in the final minutes of the second quarter, with scoring slowing down for both teams. De Larrea and Forrest stood out, and Reuvers came off the bench to raise the defensive intensity for the orange side. As the quarter wound down, Simmons tied the game with a big three-pointer. The halftime break seemed to dull the players from both sides, who came out sluggish, though Valencia appeared more inspired. Braxton Key took a blow to the nose, ending his participation in the game. Isaac Nogués enjoyed more minutes than usual and showed that, in terms of effort and intensity, no one can match him.
Luwawu-Cabarrot rallied his team to prevent Valencia from pulling away, tying the game with a three-pointer (min. 28, 57-57). Montero had barely played ten minutes and wasn’t sharp. Pedro Martínez knew that much of the Final Four hopes depended on the Dominican being sharp on Wednesday. Diakité drew a foul, and Reuvers received a technical just as Baskonia was at its best.