Comeback powered by the Roig Arena to clinch a Playoff spot (102–96)

Valencia Basket secured its place in the EuroLeague Playoffs by guaranteeing that it cannot fall below sixth position after defeating EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 102–96. The win came after a remarkable comeback, overturning a fourteen-point deficit midway through the third quarter with a 29–8 run, driven by a Roig Arena crowd that ended up celebrating with the team its second appearance in the knockout stages for the top continental title.

In a high-scoring first half with contrasting styles, the taronja side stayed ahead in the opening quarter thanks to points from Montero and Brancou. However, as the minutes passed, the Italian side maintained its efficiency, with key players scoring in the final seconds of possessions, sending Valencia into halftime trailing 51–54.

The Italians’ efficiency did not drop during the first five minutes of the second half, allowing the visitors to build a fourteen-point lead. Spurred on by a roaring Roig Arena crowd that pushed them in their toughest moment, Pedro Martínez’s men managed to close the gap with a favorable run in the second half of the third quarter and completely flipped the game at the start of the final period, taking the lead with another 12–0 run.

The Italian team refused to give in and cut the margin to just two points on a couple of occasions, but the taronja side was determined not to let the opportunity slip away and sealed the victory with free throws from Brancou Badio.

Post-game quotes: Pedro Martínez

“When you’re 14 points down in the third quarter, obviously a whole set of circumstances has to come together, and I would also say a whole group of players. So, without taking any credit away from the players you mentioned, such as Papi and Montero, I would say that Jaime Pradilla had an excellent final quarter in terms of scoring, and he was also outstanding in offensive rebounding, fixing situations that really demoralized the opponent.

Braxton also had some spectacular defensive moments in the last quarter, and I think Kameron Taylor was also a very important player in the comeback.

It’s very difficult for me to single out one or two players. I think it was a job that required a lot of mental strength from all the players, and every one of them stood out when we were at our lowest point.”