The Valencia Basket defeated (71-115) Casademont Zaragoza this Saturday in the 21st round of the Liga Endesa, marking the return of domestic competition after the Copa del Rey and the FIBA ‘window’, while La Laguna Tenerife secured a victory with suspense (82-81) over Joventut.
The ‘taronja’ team returned to competition like a storm, eager to bounce back from their early elimination in the Copa del Rey and break their losing streak before the break. Under the guidance of Pedro Martínez, they set a historic fifth scoring record in the Liga with an impressive display of 19 three-pointers at the Príncipe Felipe Pavilion.
Eight players from Valencia Basket reached double digits in scoring and valuation (151 in total), with everyone firing on all cylinders from the first quarter. Brancou Badio, Semi Ojeleye, Chris Jones, Jaime Pradilla, and Jean Montero, who was the highest-rated player (27) but unfortunately suffered an ankle injury, shone in the assault on Zaragoza.
After their quarter-final exit in Las Palmas, Valencia regained their best form with an offensive showcase, a team fueled by pride and ambition, currently third in the standings with 15 victories. La Laguna moved up to second place with 16 wins, including five consecutive victories, after a hard-fought triumph over Joventut, who held the lead for much of the game.
Marcelinho Huertas led the Canary Islands team with 21 points, but the game’s outcome was uncertain until the end, as Joventut managed to catch up in the final possessions. Adam Hanga’s three-pointers were answered by Joan Sastre and Aaron Doornekamp. Guillem Vives and Artem Pustovyi were unable to secure the win for the Catalans, who remain with 13 victories.
On another front, UCAM Murcia continued their strong away form with an 82-88 victory over Coviran Granada. Under the guidance of Sito Alonso, who reached 500 games coached in the ACB, they reached ten wins in the standings, edging closer to the ‘Top 8’ playoffs spots. Kaiser Gates (18 points) and Ludvig Hakanson (17) stood out as offensive leaders in the game at the Palacio nazarí.
Additionally, the bottom-ranked Leyma Coruña secured their first victory of 2025 (97-84) and ended a nine-game losing streak against Hiopos Lleida, a direct rival in the battle to avoid relegation.
FUENTE