Monumental victory for Valencia Basket. A win in the fourth game of the series against Panathinaikos, on their home court, in that arena where just three days ago it seemed you entered never to leave. This triumph will be remembered forever in Valencia.
Epic. Pedro Martínez’s team has once again leveled the playoff series (2-2), after all of Europe had already counted Panathinaikos as advancing following their two wins at the Roig Arena last week. Now, Valencia stands just one win away from reaching the Final Four for the first time in franchise history.
That is no exaggeration. Valencia landed in Athens as the underdog and returns to Valencia with the series tied, morale soaring, and 40 minutes from making history. They have the fifth-lowest budget in the EuroLeague, yet a group of players with immense courage who refuse to be intimidated, even in the most hostile environments. When Panathinaikos went ahead midway through the third quarter, many would have said, “That’s it, we’re done.” But not this Valencia team, which always rises from dangerous situations with astonishing composure.
However, courage alone is not enough to beat teams like this. To win such battles, you need a leader who everyone follows like a pack of wolves. That leader is Jean Montero. He delivered his best performance since joining Valencia Basket on the most important day. In the green part of Athens, he was public enemy number one after his statement to AS—taken out of context and used as motivation—where he said they could beat Panathinaikos six, seven, or even eight times. But the Dominican let his game do the talking this time. He dominated the floor, was everywhere, and neutralized Panathinaikos’ stars.
NBA-like numbers in one of the EuroLeague’s biggest games: 29 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals, 8 fouls drawn, for a valuation of 45. Out of this world.
The Greek team tried everything, though Nunn was slow to get going, Hayes-Davis never found his rhythm, and their weapons relied on Lessort’s interior strength (8 points, 11 rebounds) and Osman’s boldness and quality (26 points). Ataman could not find the right formula on the court this time. And when he had a chance to turn the game around in the third quarter, he failed to capitalize on the slight dip that Valencia might have experienced if they had gone four or five points ahead.
Now, it’s back to the Roig Arena to complete a comeback that would be historic, as it has only happened once before: Real Madrid against Partizan in 2023. The pressure shifts sides, or maybe not. For Panathinaikos, missing the Final Four—especially after taking a 2-0 lead in the series—could be a colossal failure. A big game awaits at the Roig Arena just months after its opening.
Wednesday in Valencia: 40 minutes to etch their name among the EuroLeague’s top four.
Valencia knew they were heading into a hellish duel. The decibel levels were even higher than in the third game. From an hour and a half before tip-off, Greek fans packed the OAKA. But if this series has shown anything, it is that this team fears nothing. It was a situation that could make legs and wrists tremble—none of that happened. The taronja starting five came out sharp.
Once again, their foundation was defense, collapsing on the “Big Dipper” of the constellation, Kendrick Nunn. They ran the floor, with Montero playing big, hitting threes, frustrating the opponent.
