By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Valencia Basket lost five games in a row in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, but in Round 12 got back to winning.
Alex Mumbru’s squad defeated Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet at home 85-81, with Brandon Davies leading the way with 21 points.
Sami Ojeleye continued with good performances scoring 17 points with six rebounds for a game-high PIR of 24, while Victor Claver and Chris Jones added 10 points each.
For Crvena Zvezda, Milos Teodosic was on the verge of a double-double with 11 points and nine assists, becoming the sixth on the list of assists leaders in the EuroLeague. Shabazz Napier and Nemanja Nedovic added 14 points each, while Joel Bolomboy scored 12, with eight boards.
Crvena Zvezda struggled early, trailing by six due to defensive lapses and missed penalties. Davis’s mid-range prowess maintained Valencia‘s lead. Teodosic sparked a late comeback, narrowing the gap to one. However, Valencia closed the quarter with a five-point burst, leading 25-19. Toby’s three-pointer and Red Star’s efforts were nullified by Valencia’s offensive plays, extending the lead to 39-31. Valencia maintained their dominance on both ends, concluding the half with a score of 56-40.
The Belgrade team rallied at the start of the second half, reducing the deficit to seven with a 13-4 run, with Teodosic orchestrating a much-improved offensive game for the guests. Zvezda continued to narrow the deficit to just one point, but Claver’s three-pointer shook up Valencia, allowing them to pull away before the final 10 minutes with a 72-65 lead. Crvena Zvezda found the strength to push again and tied the score at 81 entering the last minute. But Valencia stayed concentrated and prevailed in the final moments.
“It was a close game in the end; details once again made the difference. The first half belonged to Valencia, the second to us. We got back into the game, had our chances towards the end, and missed some shots. We could have executed certain plays better, and perhaps the outcome in the final moments would have been different,” Crvena Zvezda’s coach Ioannis Sfairopoulos said.
Valencia’s coach Mumbru was, of course, pleased with the important win after a series of defeats.
“I’m happy for the team; we needed the win emotionally, and it was important for us. I’m also pleased for the Fonteta because, after the last day, they supported us throughout the game and were incredible and impressive,” Alex Mumbru said.