By Stefan Acevski/ info@eurohoops.net
Last Wednesday, we found out the final participant of the Final Four tournament in Athens.
After five matches and an absolutely crazy Quarterfinal series, Valencia defeated Panathinaikos 81-64 in front of their fans, winning three games in a row, becoming the second team to come back from 0-2 in the series and securing their first-ever appearance in the club’s history at the Final Four.
From a team that everyone had written off before the season even started, to one that nobody gave even the slightest chance of reaching the Play-In, let alone the Final Four, Valencia has performed a miracle. Do they have enough strength left to pull it through to the end?
From a EuroLeague participant to the Final Four
Valencia has achieved an incredible result this season in the elite competition, and we will have the opportunity to watch them in the Semifinals in Athens, in what are probably the most important days since the club’s founding, despite the fact they have won the EuroCup four times and became the champions of Spain in the 2016/17 season.
The greatest credit goes to Pedro Martinez, the coach of the Spanish club, who has come into the public spotlight this season. A man who has spent his entire career working in Spain and who, since 2024, for the second time in his career, has been at the helm of Valencia, has turned this team into a powerhouse.
Even though Darius Thompson and Matt Costello are the only players with somewhat serious EuroLeague experience, this has not been a problem for the team for even a second, as they proved to be powerful when it mattered most—in the Quarterfinal series against Panathinaikos, when Valencia was in a seemingly impossible situation.
Although many compared Valencia’s basketball to that played by Paris, some differences are clearly visible. However, Taronja plays very fast and attractive basketball, aiming to move the ball into the attacking zone as quickly as possible, and it is noticeable that under Martinez, everyone has maximum freedom.
Such basketball has produced numerous heroes. Omari Moore looked great at the start of the season, Brancou Badio is the revelation of the season, and his defensive clinic against Kendrick Nunn in the Quarterfinal series will be studied. However, the most attention has been drawn by Jean Montero, who ultimately became a member of the All-EuroLeague Second Team.
Unlike clubs that play similar basketball, Valencia has its go-to player when it comes to deciding games. It was Montero who turned his series around in Athens, and in the end, with the help of Badio, helped his team advance.
Explosive, excellent in penetration and shooting from three-point range, someone who plays very attractive basketball, Montero quickly became a fan favorite across Europe, and his performances will be under special scrutiny in Athens.
It is also interesting that Valencia did not have any noticeable drop in form throughout the season. They were in a Playoff position almost the entire year, and with four consecutive wins, they came close to first place, showing they were not afraid of Panathinaikos with their victory against Dubai in the last round.
For this, many criticized them, especially after two losses in Valencia at the start of the series, calling them crazy and naive. However, the Spaniards went into the hell of the OAKA Arena, won two consecutive games after drama, after the ejections of Ergin Ataman and Martinez, and finally destroyed PAO in the race for the Final Four—as if it was for their 101st, not their first appearance in the tournament.
The draw has put them against Real Madrid in the Semifinals. A game that guarantees a spectacle and represents a replay of last year’s ACB league final, which Real resolved in their favor with an easy 3-0.
The two teams played six matches in the season, Valencia started with two wins, including the Supercup final, but Real responded with four consecutive triumphs, including in the Copa Del Rey Semifinal. There are no secrets; we are in for a great match, worthy of the Final Four. Can Valencia continue to shock Europe and secure their first EuroLeague final in the club’s history?
Cinderella Story at the Final Four
Since the beginning of the century and the new EuroLeague format, there haven’t been too many underdogs reaching the very end of the competition.
Perhaps the best example of this is Zalgiris from the 2017/18 season, led by Sarunas Jasikevicius from the bench, while the main forces on the court were Kevin Pangos and Brandon Davies. The Lithuanians managed to eliminate Olympiacos in the Quarterfinals and advance to the Semifinals, but were stopped there by Fenerbahce. If nothing else, Zalgiris defeated CSKA and ultimately took third place.
We also had a very interesting Final Four in Berlin in 2016. At that time, Lokomotiv Kuban and Baskonia qualified among the four teams, both having exceptionally interesting squads.
The Russians reached the semifinals with a 3-2 series against Barcelona, led by Malcolm Delaney, Anthony Randolph, and Dontaye Draper. However, they were defeated by CSKA in a Russian derby in the Semifinals.
Baskonia faced a similar fate, losing to Fenerbahce after a thrilling game and overtime. Baskonia defeated Panathinaikos 3-0, was one step away from the final, but stopped short against the eventual finalist. It should be noted that Baskonia had a very powerful roster at the time. Ioannis Bourousis led the team, the backcourt duo were Mike James and Darius Adams, and there were also Davis Bertans, Adam Hanga, and Fabien Causeur.
Perhaps the biggest Cinderella story was in 2010, when Partizan made it to the Final Four. The Belgrade club defeated Maccabi Tel Aviv 3-1 in the Quarterfinal series and was one shot away from the final and a match with Barcelona.
However, what followed was the famous “alley-oop” from Milos Teodosic to Josh Childress, the American dunked for overtime, and in the end Olympiacos, after overtime, secured a final against Barcelona. Ultimately, the Spaniards won the title in Paris, while Partizan was defeated by CSKA in the match for third place.