Team and fans enjoyed together again and Valencia Basket took a creditable victory against EA Milan (84-72) that puts them back in the fight to finish at least within the Play-In in the Euroleague. And all in a game in which the Taronja ‘Big Three’ formed by Jones, Davies and Ojeleye once again led the team with 44 points between the three, but in which the figure of Jaime Pradilla, a colossus in the painting that revitalized the team in the third quarter with its steals and rebounds and that rounded off a marvelous performance with a triple.
Two of the best defenses in the Euroleague faced each other in La Fonteta and it was clear why given what was seen in the first half, which ended with a 32-40. The beginning of the game already showed the path it was going to follow, with a first basket by Chris Jones that came almost after two minutes and a series of errors in the shots of both teams until Ojeleye hit the target from 6.75 to put 9-4.
No player had repeated a basket until then, but four points in a row from Napier reduced the difference to a minimum (9-8). Davies scored again, but McGruder and Hall, with a triple, put Milan ahead for the first time (11-13).
Mumbrú began to make changes, but the game did not change the dynamic, with a final exchange of baskets and free throws, before Shields and Anderson scored three just before closing the first quarter (21-19).
Tonut and Shields put Milan ahead again, although Harper stopped the rival push with a triple. The presence of a motivated Pangos to face a Messina that separated him from the first team for several months, was not efficient in his first six minutes on the court, with 0 of 3 in field goals before Mumbrú gave him a rest.
In a few minutes of low scoring efficiency, Valencia BC conceded a partial score of 2-12, struggling to stop Melli and Hall, the best of the visitors so far. Thus, with 28-33 and three minutes remaining, Mumbrú asked for time to try to refresh his ideas, although only Davies and Jones managed to score before going to the locker room, while Milan poked at the wound with a triple from Napier almost at the horn after a block to Jones, which made the score 32-40.
Once again Napier, with a triple, widened the gap after the restart. With 11 points behind, the game was going through a difficult moment, but Jones first and a 7-0 run later with Davies, Inglis and a triple from Robertson, put Valencia BC back into the game (41-45) .
La Fonteta was enjoying it again, but again Hall poured cold water from 6.75, before Melli made it 41-50 after an offensive rebound.
Shields scored again from three, but Ojeleye and Jones also scored from three to tie the game (56-56) and cause a timeout for Messina, after a 10-0 run. Pradilla, in a few minutes with great defense and three steals, assisted Reuvers again so that the American added three and got the crowd on its feet (59-56). Poythress and Napier, from the free throw, tied again, but Harper took advantage of his speed to quickly get to the basket and make it 61-59 with which the third quarter ended, in a tremendous ovation from the public for Pradilla after a defensive recital in the third quarter, with three rebounds, four steals and an assist from the Taronja interior.
Harper didn’t take long to score and Pangos scored their first points from the free throw. Napier continued to be a nightmare for the Taronja, but when Hall later made it 68-70, Ojeleye and Davies took the team on their backs to take advantage of the good defenses and score, with an 8-0 run that made it 76-70 .
Davies blocked and assisted Pradilla, who scored three to get La Fonteta back on its feet, shouting MVP, MVP, with a fan who knew how to value his work beyond the points. The game was already won, but Robertson finished it off with five points and a three-pointer. Valencia BC returns to the fight for the Play-in and regains communion with its fans.
2024-01-20 03:00:32
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