By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Valencia sealed a victory in Round 27 of the EuroLeague, as they defeated Hapoel 104-99 away in overtime.
Jean Montero set a career record in EuroLeague scoring with 29 points, many of which came in the final stretch of the match, and also added eight assists.
Nate Reuvers contributed with 20 points, Darius Thompson added 17, and Kameron Taylor had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
For the hosts, Antonio Blakeney scored 23 points, three more than Yam Madar, while Johnathan Motley had 17 in a team that was again without their best player, Elijah Bryant.
Hapoel appeared poised to end their three-game losing streak in the EuroLeague. Coach Dimitris Itoudis’ team played excellently and dominated much of the match, leading by 16 (66-50) midway through the third quarter.
However, Valencia mounted a comeback led by Montero and Thompson, gradually closing the gap and forcing overtime. They had a chance to finish everything in regulation, but Montero missed a crucial three-pointer at the end of the game.
The Dominican Republic representative dominated in the extra five minutes, building his team’s lead with a scoring run, and Valencia held on to secure the victory.
Valencia now stands at 17-10, and will play against ASVEL in next round. Hapoel, with a 16-10 record, will attempt to break their losing streak against Zalgiris in Kaunas next.