Valencia Basket opens 2026 on the court of Surne Bilbao Basket 

Valencia Basket men’s team begins the year 2026 with the first of a series of six games in eleven days, starting with a visit to Surne Bilbao Basket (Friday 2nd, 6:00 p.m., Bilbao Arena, DAZN) in the matchup that opens the second batch of games of Round 13 of the Liga Endesa. After completing a perfect run of three home victories to close out 2025, the taronja side returns to the road to face a team that had been unbeaten at home in domestic competition until last week, when they fell to Barça, and that boasts outstanding defensive numbers on its own court (allowing just 0.94 points per possession and holding opponents to 46% shooting from the field). 

Although Valencia Basket has lost four of its last six visits to Bilbao, our team has the chance to level the all-time record on this court if it can repeat the hard-fought win achieved last season. Sergio De Larrea, who missed the last two games due to calf discomfort, is the only injury concern for the taronja squad. Valencia Basket begins this round of the Liga Endesa in third place with a 9–2 record, with one game in hand at the Roig Arena against Casademont Zaragoza, to be played on January 12.

Pre-game quotes: Jean Montero

Valencia Basket guard Jean Montero commented ahead of the game that “there are no easy games in the ACB. Bilbao are playing very well at home. Especially now in January, when we have a lot of games, we have to play together as a team, help each other every time we’re on the court. Balancing the EuroLeague with the ACB is not easy.”

Asked about the key to maintaining their level during a stretch that will see the taronja play eight games in fifteen days, the Dominican player explained: “We had a very good preseason. Mine wasn’t as good because I was injured. But the good thing is that we have legs. With game adaptation and the changes made by Pedro and the coaching staff, those are things that ultimately help us reach the end of games fresher, with more energy than the other team, and that’s why we can always take one more step, one more step in every game.”

Rosters

REFEREES: Jordi Aliaga - Francisco Araña - Fabio Fernández