By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
After leading into double-digits for nearly the entire game and peaking at a distance of 24 points in the second quarter, Valencia settled for a 94-79 victory versus Fenerbahce Beko in Roig Arena on Tuesday.
Besides Yankuba Sima (left leg) and Ethan Happ (right foot surgery) stuck on the injury list and newcomer Braxton Key unavailable for Round 7 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague Regular Season, head coach Pedro Martinez also missed Sergio de Larrea, who was ruled out due to a minor injury shortly before tipoff. Nevertheless, a fourth straight win across all competitions improved the continental tally to 4-3.
“We are very happy to beat a very good team,” said the 64-year-old head coach of the Taronges.
Kameron Taylor was the top performer with a team-high 17 points behind 7/14 field goals, including two three-pointers against the defending champions. “The game was good. We played together. We hope to keep improving from here,” noted the 31-year-old American guard/forward.
More double-digit scoring showings went from Brancou Badio with 15 points to Jean Montero with 12 points and Darius Thompson with 11 points. Recovering from a recent illness, Josep Puerto added nine more points. Jaime Pradilla chipped in nine points as well.
On the wrong end, Tarik Biberovic produced 16 of a game-high 18 points in the fourth quarter. Talen Horton-Tucker went for 16 points, five rebounds, three assists, and one steal, and Wade Baldwin IV had 13 points alongside five assists, four rebounds, and one steal.
Brandon Boston Jr. (left ankle sprain), Arturs Zagars (right hamstring), and Jilson Banco (left knee surgery) remained out for Fener, alongside Mert Emre Eksioglu, Melih Mahmutoglu, and Yigit Hamza Mestoglu. With a disappointing effort at Valencia, the visitors fell to 3-4.
“We never had a chance. We never started the game. We never understood. It’s OK. Better not to talk about the tactics. They were one step faster, jumping higher, getting to the loose balls. Everything,” recapped losing play-caller Sarunas Jasikevicius.