In a fiercely contested battle at the Roig Arena, Baskonia edged out Valencia Basket 86-88, silencing the home crowd and avenging their earlier loss at the Buesa Arena. The controversy surrounding under-22 player quotas couldn’t overshadow a gripping finish, capped by a clutch basket from Forrest in the final seconds that propelled Baskonia past the taronja in the standings.
Valencia Basket faced the match under the shadow of potentially fielding a youth-heavy lineup. Their immense effort to force a fifth game against Panathinaikos in EuroLeague created tension with the ACB, adding extra spice to this already intense clash.
Aware of their rivals’ physical and emotional fatigue, Baskonia arrived in Valencia looking to exploit the turmoil and match a historic record set by the home side. However, the atmosphere only fueled Pedro Martínez’s squad, who came out with higher intensity.
The hosts stormed ahead with a blistering run, taking an eight-point lead within minutes, driven by offensive rhythm and crowd energy. But Baskonia quickly responded. They tightened defensively and found offensive flow, sparking a 0-10 run to flip the score. Valencia struggled for several minutes against Baskonia’s pressure, especially in transition defense.
Nevertheless, the taronja regrouped before the first quarter ended. Dominance in the paint and smart plays near the rim restored their lead, closing the first period ahead after a lively, closely contested exchange.
**Scoring slump**
Both teams saw their offensive efficiency drop sharply in the second quarter. After shooting over 60% from the field in the opening 10 minutes, they barely exceeded 30% in the second stanza, reflecting increased defensive intensity and difficulty finding clean looks.
The scoring pace slowed, but parity remained the theme. Neither side could create a significant gap, with each basket met by an immediate answer. Despite the shift in dynamics, the game stayed tense and thrilling until halftime, which arrived at 41-41.
Eugene Omoruyi (11 points) and Matt Mooney (eight) led their teams’ scoring in a first half defined by absolute balance.
After the break, the start mirrored the opening tip. A couple of baskets from the Basque side ignited a furious Valencia response, an 11-2 run that opened a nine-point gap.
But Baskonia didn’t waver. They stayed composed, stiffened their defense, and found offensive solutions to quickly restore equality at 57-57. The game then became a relentless exchange of blows, with both teams playing at a blistering pace and capitalizing on any mistakes to run the floor.
Galbiati and his men rode that positive momentum to take a five-point lead into the final 10 minutes. The margin could have been larger, as Kurucs nearly scored at the buzzer to close the third quarter.