Tarragona, Spain – Valencia Basket secured a spot in the semifinals of the Copa de la Reina, defeating Durán Maquinaria Ensino 83-72 on Thursday at the Palau d’Esports de Tarragona. The victory came after a hard-fought contest where Valencia ultimately imposed its will, earning a matchup against Casademont Zaragoza in the next round.
The game began with Durán Maquinaria Ensino showing early promise, even unsettling Valencia Basket with a strong start. Imani Tate contributed 8 points in the opening minutes, giving the Ensino a lead and raising hopes for an upset. However, Valencia Basket quickly responded, utilizing its collective talent to regain control and establish a rhythm. The first quarter ended with Valencia leading 16-13.
Valencia Basket continued to build momentum in the second quarter, fueled by Leticia Romero and Awa Fam. Romero broke the defense with a crucial three-pointer, sparking an offensive surge. Khaalia Hillsman also began to assert herself, contributing significantly to Valencia’s scoring. By halftime, Valencia had extended its lead to 42-35.
Following the break, Valencia Basket appeared determined to close out the game. Raquel Carrera and Elena Buenavida made key plays, pushing the lead into double digits. Durán Maquinaria Ensino coach Suso Garrido called a timeout in an attempt to rally his team, but Valencia maintained its composure. The third quarter concluded with Valencia ahead 63-54.
Despite a valiant effort from Alicia Flórez, who played with heart and determination, Durán Maquinaria Ensino couldn’t overcome Valencia’s strong performance. A late three-pointer from Fiebich sealed the victory for Valencia Basket, finalizing the score at 83-72.
Khaalia Hillsman led Valencia Basket in scoring with 17 points, while Alicia Flórez topped Durán Maquinaria Ensino with 18 points. Awa Fam led Valencia in rebounding with 6, and Lucia Giomi grabbed 7 for Durán Maquinaria Ensino. You can view the complete game statistics here.
This Copa de la Reina appearance marks Valencia Basket’s eighth in the competition. Their best result came in the 2023-24 season, when they won the title in Huelva. Valencia Basket has consistently qualified for the competition since being promoted to the top tier of Spanish basketball.
Prior to this Copa de la Reina matchup, Valencia Basket and Durán Maquinaria Ensino had not faced each other in the Copa de la Reina. However, they have met in other competitions, including the LF Endesa playoffs in the 2020-21 season and the EuroCup Women in the 2021-22 campaign, with Valencia Basket winning both encounters. Durán Maquinaria Ensino’s roster includes Alicia Flórez, who is on loan from Valencia Basket, and Elba Garfella, a product of Valencia’s youth academy, L’Alqueria del Basket.
Following the game, Rubén Burgos and Awa Fam of Valencia Basket shared their thoughts in an audio interview, available here. Suso Garrido and Alicia Flórez from Durán Maquinaria Ensino also provided their reactions, which can be heard here.
MVP of the Game: K. Hillsman (24 valuation)
Valencia Basket will now turn their attention to their semifinal matchup against Casademont Zaragoza. The game promises to be another challenging contest as they continue their pursuit of the Copa de la Reina title. The schedule for the remainder of the tournament can be found on the official FEB website.
Fans can follow all the action live on Teledeporte, RTVE Play, and Twitch.
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