A valiant effort falls just short (88-91)

Valencia Basket couldnot overcome a sharp-shooting Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv at the Roig Arena, falling88-91 in a hard-fought contest. The game remained balanced until the finalseconds, when two three-pointers from the visitors—who finished 14-of-24 frombeyond the arc—tipped the scales in their favor. Despite this, the taronja sidefought until the very end; through intense defensive pressure, they earned twoshots that could have forced overtime, but neither found the mark.

Quotes Xavi Albert

"This was a game we were looking forward to, hoping to regain our rhythm after a tough defeat like the one against Olympiacos. We needed to get back on track, but it was clear from the first quarter that we lacked the necessary energy—we didn't bring the intensity required. We allowed our opponents to play their game far too easily; we committed few fouls and the level of physical contact we brought was insufficient—conceding 31 points in that period really set the tone for us. It was a close game, and while we stayed within striking distance, we never truly felt in control. We showed some defensive physicality, but our performance came in fits and starts. It wasn't a polished effort, either on the defensive or offensive end. Any positive moments were sporadic rather than the result of a cohesive team effort. In the end, we fought to stay in it—managing a few steals—but that offers little consolation given the loss and our failure to close out the game."