By Stefan Acevski/ info@eurohoops.net
The EuroLeague Final Four will be held in Athens, and according to the schedule, the second Semifinal is reserved for a Spanish duel.
Valencia and Real Madrid will clash at 20:00 CET in the battle for the Final, and we will then find out who will face Olympiacos or Fenerbahce on Sunday.
The two teams have already played six matches this season, with Valencia winning the first two and Real responding with four consecutive victories. There’s no doubt we are in for a thrilling encounter in Greece.
Here are five key battles in the Semifinal that will determine the Final Four finalist.
Can anyone stop Jean Montero?
Although Valencia plays excellent team basketball, the season’s climax and Playoff duels have highlighted their main star. It’s the guard Jean Montero, a member of the EuroLeague’s first team.
Montero destroyed Panathinaikos in the five-game Quarterfinal series and will undoubtedly be Valencia’s main hope in this duel. The outcome of the match will largely depend on his performance.
Can Real Madrid stop him? Knowing Sergio Scariolo, Real has probably prepared a special defense for Montero. The brilliant coach is no stranger to playing a box-and-one defense in crucial matches, focusing all defensive attention on one player while others play in a zone, allowing opponents to shoot.
Valencia is a team where everyone has freedom in attack, but it’s important to note that they shot over 34% from three-point range in only one of the five matches against Panathinaikos, so Real might look for their chance there.
On the other hand, the one-on-one defense against Valencia’s best player will involve Alberto Abalde, Facundo Campazzo, and Andres Feliz. If Real allows Montero to ignite himself and his team, Valencia will be close to the Final.
Tavares’ injury a major blow for Real
Real Madrid arrives in Greece without Walter Tavares. The center might be on the sidelines, but he won’t be able to help his team on the court in the battle for the Final.
He got injured in the first game of the series against Hapoel Tel Aviv, and although Madrid hoped he would recover, they will have to pursue the title without him.
His absence will undoubtedly be a major blow for Real, and for comparison – he scored 18 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in the last match against Valencia. With Alex Len also injured, a big responsibility will fall on Usman Garuba, who performed excellently in the Quarterfinal series, and Real will likely use some small-ball lineups.
On one hand, the team from the Spanish capital loses height, rim protection, and an experienced player, but on the other hand, Valencia has often utilized the shooting of their big men, especially Matt Costello, to spread the floor and Tavares, which has been a challenge for Sergio Scariolo’s team.
Can Real manage without a member of the EuroLeague’s second-best team? We’ll find out on Friday.
11 Final Fours vs. 1 Final Four
Experience is another factor that could play a significant role in the Semifinal. Real is on their 11th Final Four in the new format, all since 2011, while this is the first for Valencia.
It’s unnecessary to speak about the experience of Real’s players. This team has been together for a long time, regularly participating in the Finals, and won their last title in 2023. On the other hand, Valencia will be part of the final tournament for the first time, and when you look at their players – very few have any significant EuroLeague experience.
However, this hasn’t been a problem for them so far, especially when they were down 0-2 against Panathinaikos. On the other hand, the Final Four is something completely different, and the experiences of underdogs in these tournaments haven’t been the best so far.
Can Valencia overcome another obstacle, or is Real too experienced for such matches?
Real is on 6-0 in rebounding duels
As mentioned, the two teams have played six matches, and in all six, Real Madrid won the rebounding battle.
True, they won’t count on Walter Tavares now, so Valencia might see an opportunity there, but the center from Cape Verde isn’t the only one good at it.
Real Madrid’s guards are very combative, and Mario Hezonja, Chuma Okeke, and Gabriel Deck are also excellent at rebounding, which explains why Real, with 37.6 rebounds per game, was the third-best in the EuroLeague.
Even more interesting is that Valencia ranks second with 38 rebounds per game. Taronja has established itself as one of the best rebounding teams in Europe, but that hasn’t helped them against Real so far, as the Madridians have outrebounded them in all six duels.
In the Final Four, one ball and one rebound can change a lot, and whoever wins this battle will very likely win the game.
Who will step up from the shadows to send their team to the Final?
Very often, such matches are decided by some supporting players who weren’t in the spotlight from the start. One only needs to remember last year and Devon Hall, the would-be MVP of the Final Four in Abu Dhabi.
On one side, Brancou Badio played an excellent fifth game against PAO, pocketing Kendrick Nunn and improving his shooting percentages. There’s also the more experienced Darius Thompson, and we’ll see if Sergio de Larrea, who has elevated his game in the Playoffs, can deliver a good performance in the game of his career.
On the other side – take your pick among Real’s players. Sergio Llull, Gabriel Deck, Andres Feliz, and even Trey Lyles come off the bench. They are all capable of turning the game in Real’s favor – we’ve seen it several times against Hapoel.
We have to wait until Friday to see who will be the hero for Real or Valencia in the EuroLeague Semifinal match.