The night started with a festive air at the Buesa Arena and, although the defeat somewhat clouded the desired script, the stands did not stop celebrating their team until the final whistle. , sharing the trophy with a dedicated crowd that came en masse to the pavilion to honor their team. The atmosphere was one of celebration, of collective pride, of continuity in euphoria. But the competitive staging broke any expectations.
As soon as the ball rose into the air, Valencia Basket imposed an impossible pace. The Taronja team turned the party into a nightmare and made it clear from the first minute that their visit to Vitoria was not going to be protocol. The 14-35 that the scoreboard reflected at the end of the first quarter was a declaration of intentions and, at the same time, the symptom of two opposite realities. Baskonia appeared still with an emotional hangover and without objectives already in this edition of the Euroleague; Valencia, on the other hand, landed with competitive hunger, determined to strengthen its position in the continental competition
Far from relaxing after the first blow, Pedro MartÃnez’s team intensified its dominance. The attack flowed with precision, the circulation always found the freed man and the Vitorian defense seemed incapable of adjusting. Montero and company punished every mismatch, every poorly closed transition, every late help. The score shot up to a resounding, yet historic, 35-68 at halftime, a true reflection of an unanswered offensive gale. Those 68 points established a new scoring record in the first half of the Euroleague, surpassing the 66 of Kinder Bologna in 2001.
After going through the locker room, the script barely changed. Valencia maintained its concentration and intensity, aware that the match was on track but determined not to allow room for reaction. Baskonia, on the other hand, continued to be blurred, surpassed in pace and confidence. Only Luwawu-Cabarrot offered signs of individual resistance in a team without collective continuity. What began as a night of tribute ended up being a reminder of the demands imposed by the European elite and the distance that, at least this time, separated both teams.
93
70
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RMA | 19 | 34 | 25 | 15 | 93 |
| WILL | 12 | 21 | 14 | 23 | 70 |
Real Madrid, for its part, had a feast in its duel against Bayern in a match that was resolved without suspense as reflected by the final score of 93-70. The white team imposed its hierarchy from the opening jump and turned the night at the Movistar Arena into an exercise of authority, a solid victory that, however, barely acts as a balm after the still fresh wound. The final score of 93-70 faithfully reflected what was seen on the hardwood: a Real Madrid superior in intensity, squad depth and execution, which resolved the commitment with solvency and without problems, although without completely erasing the recent disappointment.
