Valencia Basket defeats Fenerbahçe and Mirotic undergoes tests

The Valencia Basket secured a new victory against Fenerbahçe at the Roig Arena, achieving their sixth win of the season with a record of 6-2 in the Euroleague. The team coached by Xavi Albert won 86-78 in a contested match where the intensity of the offensive play was decisive. However, Mirotic's injury in the final minutes clouds an outstanding collective performance.

Mirotic leaves the court for precautionary reasons

Nikola Mirotic felt discomfort in his left leg during the final minutes of the game and did not return to the court. The Valencia coach explained the decision in a press conference: "Mirotic felt a sharp pain in the adductor and will undergo tests this Wednesday. We'll see if he makes it for the Palau." Albert emphasized that the exit was precautionary due to the uncertainty about the extent of the injury.

"Nikola has a sharp pain whose extent we do not know; it's a discomfort that prevented him from finishing the game, although he wanted to play and jump on the court, but we saw that there was a risk and opted to take him out," detailed the coach. The tests on Wednesday will determine whether it is merely a discomfort or if there is some type of muscle injury that requires recovery time.

Until his withdrawal, Mirotic had scored 12 points with a perfect 6 of 6 in two-point shots, 5 rebounds (3 of them offensive), and a 16 efficiency rating in just over 16 minutes, according to Euroleague data. His contribution was of high quality during the time he was available. Albert also recalled that Reuvers is still out as he continues his recovery process.

Shorts leads the attack with authority

TJ Shorts was the top scorer of the match with 23 points, demonstrating offensive capability both in the interior game and at the free-throw line. The American shooting guard recorded 7 of 12 in two-point shots and 9 of 10 from the free-throw line, totaling a 25 efficiency rating. His presence was crucial in the decisive moments of the match.

Kameron Taylor and Armoni Brooks also had strong offensive performances with 16 points each. Brooks added 3 three-pointers and 7 rebounds to his tally, while Neal Sako contributed 9 points and 10 rebounds, 5 of which were offensive. This scoring distribution reflected the balance of the Valencia team in defense.

Offensive rebounding, key to victory

Valencia Basket grabbed 21 offensive rebounds compared to Fenerbahçe's 11, dominating the total 49 to 34. This superiority in offensive play was crucial for maintaining additional possessions and creating opportunities. "The offensive rebound was one of the keys to winning the game," acknowledged Albert in his statements.

However, the Valencia team recorded only 8 assists compared to Fenerbahçe's 18, indicating that the play was more individual and less fluid in terms of ball movement. Despite this, the dominance on the boards allowed for compensation of this difference.

Fenerbahçe gets closer but fails to recover

Valencia Basket entered the final quarter with a 60-46 lead on the scoreboard. However, Fenerbahçe responded with intensity, winning the fourth period 26-32 and even taking the lead with two and a half minutes remaining. The team led by Sarunas Jasikevicius showed competitive ability in the final moments.

Wade Baldwin IV led the Turkish attack with 19 points, while Shavon Shields contributed 18 and Will Clyburn added 15 with 4 three-pointers. Despite these efforts, Valencia Basket sealed the victory with a bucket from Shorts and a three-pointer from Brooks from the corner in the final seconds. The match was witnessed by 13,177 spectators at the Roig Arena.

Fenerbahçe's comeback tested Valencia Basket's ability to maintain composure under pressure, something that Albert positively assessed after the victory. "It was an important win, not just for adding one more to the standings, but for the way it was achieved, against whom it was achieved, and with an ending like that," remarked the coach.

Six victories in eight games and a trip to the Palau

With this result, Valencia Basket accumulates six wins and two losses in the Euroleague. The team has only lost at home against Olympiacos (97-102) and Maccabi (88-91), showing good consistency at the Roig Arena. This was the second victory of a double week, after winning in Paris with 25 points from Shorts last Friday.

The next challenge comes on Friday, October 30, when Valencia Basket visits Barça in the ninth round of the Euroleague. The match will take place at 20:30 at the Palau Blaugrana, in what promises to be a significant clash. Mirotic's presence will depend on the results of the medical tests on Wednesday.

Albert expressed his confidence in the team with a phrase that summarizes the moment: "I will go into any battle with them." This statement reflects the competitive mentality of Valencia Basket, which will seek to maintain its positive streak against a formidable rival like the azulgrana team.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Valencia Basket supera al Fenerbahçe y Mirotic se somete a pruebas