Valencia Basket secured a 93-104 victory against Paris Basketball in the seventh round of the EuroLeague, solidifying their spot in the top six with their fifth win of the campaign in front of nearly 7,700 spectators at the Adidas Arena.
TJ Shorts led the visitors with 25 points and eight asistencias against his former team, while Armoni Brooks added 22 points. The win lifts Valencia to a 5-2 record in the standings, leaving Paris Basketball struggling at 1-6 after playing without injured Nadir Hifi and Frank Ntilikina alongside TJ Warren.
How Valencia Built Its Lead in Paris
Both teams pushed a high-tempo pace from the opening tip, trading baskets in a fast-paced first quarter that ended 26-32 in favor of the visitors. Corbalán, Cárdenas and Brooks commanded the opening surge for the visitors with TJ Shorts distributing play to make it 17-22 by the 7th minute. Morgan, Rhoden and Etienne provided the counterpoint for the hosts, but by then the visiting point guard had taken control of the game’s rhythm, assisting and scoring to propel Valencia to 25-32 by the 9th minute. A very subdued Mirotic pushed the lead to a maximum with two free throws at 26-34, but Paris tightened up defensively and a 9-2 run manufactured by Morgan and Dokossi closed the gap to 35-36. Paris leaned on the physical presence of Alize Johnson and Jared Rhoden to stay close, but Valencia maintained control as Shorts orchestrated the offense to reach halftime with 16 points and a narrow 54-57 lead.
Final 3Q!🏀 20p TJ Shorts🏀 17p Armoni Brooks⚫ @ParisBasketball 70🟠 @valenciabasket 83🏆J7 @EuroLeague⌚ 0s 3Q📺 @MovistarPlus🤝 @Heineken_ES pic.twitter.com/eVPh4Pq9rl
The decisive breakthrough arrived in the third quarter. After trading early baskets in the second half, Corbalán with a triple and the omnipresent Shorts equalized the maximum lead at 54-62, but Paris responded with a 9-0 run engineered by Herrera, Faye and Etienne to lead 63-62 by the 23rd minute. Valencia then deployed a suffocating defensive intensity that fueled a 2-15 run. Reuvers, Brooks, and Sako converted opportunities, stretching the advantage to 65-77 by the 27th minute even while Shorts rested briefly on the bench.
Valencia Secures Victory as Paris Players Foul Out
With Shorts back on the floor, Valencia extinguished any hopes of a Parisian comeback. Local players Etienne in the 31st minute and Herrera in the 39th minute were eliminated after picking up five fouls. The home crowd offered an ovation to Shorts when he checked out in the final minute after earning a 32 performance index rating.
Paris fought through the rotation shortages with Jared Rhoden scoring 20 points, Dokossi adding 12, and Enri Herrera contributing 11 before fouling out alongside teammate Etienne. The French side narrowed the gap slightly in garbage time, but Valencia comfortably preserved the double-digit margin until the final buzzer.
Xavi Albert Focuses Squad on Present Moment
Ahead of the fixture, head coach Xavi Albert addressed media inquiries regarding the team’s mental state following back-to-back defeats in the continental competition. Albert rejected the premise that losses provide an automatic competitive edge, emphasizing that the squad must focus strictly on the present moment. Las dos últimas derrotas no le dan un plus, como tampoco le dio un plus a los partidos el haber empezado con cuatro victorias seguidas. Hay que vivir en el presente y de manera muy aislada porque si no, todo pesa más. Solo pensamos en París, independientemente de nuestra clasificación
, explained Albert in a press conference.
Albert also discussed the development of Mo Gueye, noting that he must demonstrate a higher level in practice to surpass his teammates in the rotation after not featuring since an October 4 fixture against Casademont Zaragoza. On Mario Saint-Supéry cautioned against placing excessive production expectations on a 20-year-old competing in the demanding EuroLeague environment.
Valencia Basket returns to domestic and European competition following this continental rebound, looking to sustain its momentum within the upper tier of the EuroLeague standings.
