Few, very few teams in Europe can keep up with the pace of the Valencia Basket when he brings out his best version. He took it out in Miribilla and, of course, the Surne Bilbao succumbed, mainly in a second half completely tinged with grapefruit. With his triumph, 71-88he Valencia He won the ticket to the semifinals where his rival is already waiting.
The first arrest of the Valencia (11-22) solved it Lazarevic with seven consecutive points (16-22 at the end of the first quarter). In the second act, the improvement of the Valenciaespecially in the triple (1/7 by 4/8), but the Bilbao managed to hold on, 37-47 at halftimefor a scoreboard that did not yet show the final difference between the two. Those 10 points were going to be Valencia’s minimal advantage in the next 20 minutes.
After the break, the storm broke out in Miribilla and the taronja hurricane devastated the ‘Men in Black‘. He 12-24 partial in the third act ended the clash and the tie. He Valenciain its steamroller version, passed over its rival hand in hand with an effective Kameron Taylorand good minutes from players like Sako, De Larrea or Cárdenasto reach the prelude to the last quarter with everything decided, 49-71.
In that last period the maximum arrived, 60-88, just before the Bilbao start changing players so that Miribilla reward its heroes for a historic season, with a second European title and with the Playoffs. The biggest ovation went to him Melwin Pantzaras a farewell because everything indicates that next year he will return to the Unicaja, team to which it belongs.
In the end, the Bilbao which was much closer in the Roig Arenaended up somewhat disguising the result, 71-88and it would have been unfair to see the blushing marker with which the Valencia He threatened during many parts of the game. He Bilbao closed a memorable season.
And in the Valenciawho is still in competition and who shows signs that he is once again reaching the very high level he had this season, stood out in scoring matters Taylor15 points, Reuvers14, Sako11 and Badio 10. In Bilbao, the best were Krampelj11 points, Hilliard10, Hlinason10 and Lazarevic19. The semi-final series of the Valencia It will start next Wednesday.