By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Valencia entered Round 20 of the EuroLeague at the top of the standings with a 13-6 record.
The Spanish side, which returned to the competition over the summer, opened the second half of the regular season with another big win, defeating Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet in Belgrade 106-89 to stay atop the standings.
Jean Montero starred for the winners, scoring 25 points and posting a PIR of 31. Omari Moore and Brancou Badio each added 15 points, while Kameron Taylor contributed 13 points and five rebounds. Braxton Key chipped in with 10 points and six rebounds as Valencia continue to impress in the 2025/26 season.
For Crvena Zvezda, Jordan Nwora scored 17 points in the third quarter for a game total of 22, while Jared Butler came close to a double-double with 16 points and nine assists. Chima Moneke narrowly missed a double-double with 15 points and 9 rebounds, and Codi Miller-McIntyre added 13 points.
Pedro Martinez’s team pulled away in the final seconds of the first quarter, heading into the second with a 34–20 lead. The hosts continued to struggle, and Valencia extended the advantage to 19 points at one stage, finishing the half comfortably ahead 54–37.
The second half saw Zvezda briefly trim the deficit with a 13–0 run to make it 50–54, but Valencia responded and kept the lead under control. A late 9–0 run in the third quarter gave the visitors a 77–64 edge entering the final period, and the gap proved insurmountable as Valencia secured a convincing road victory at Aleksandar Nikolić Hall.