Valencia Basket beats Bayern in a direct duel for the play-in
Suffering and tight victory for the ‘taronja’ team (70-68) in front of their audience
MADRID, 20 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Valencia Basket beat Bayern Munich 70-68 this Wednesday, with an outstanding performance by French power forward Damien Inglis, in a tough match corresponding to matchday 30 of the Regular Phase of the Euroleague and which was a direct duel for the ‘play-in’ positions.
At the Fuente de San Luis Pavilion, the locals soon overturned a 2-6 deficit, after two triples by Devin Booker and Leandro Bolmaro. They did it entrusted to Damien Inglis for scoring and Jaime Pradilla as their faithful squire, especially to catch rebounds.
With important help from Stefan Jovic and Semi Ojeleye in front of the rival basket, Valencia Basket’s surge put its advantage at 14 points (22-8), managed with skill until finishing on top in the first quarter (28-15) despite the accolades of Niels Giffey from the visitors.
Two baskets in a row by Elias Harris, along with the offensive awakening of Sylvain Francisco in the paint, prevented the ‘taronja’ team from going behind more than a dozen points. Meanwhile, the performance of Xabi López-Arostegui and the inspiration of Chris Jones maintained Valencian calm.
Before halftime, Giffey made two free throws and left the score at 45-37 that predicted a battle. Cold atmosphere in La Fonteta, perhaps from a post-Fallas hangover, which also became tense midway through the third period after a triple by Booker (52-48). A 2+1 converted by Vladimir Lucic brought Bayern closer, who found another attacking asset in Francisco.
His three-pointer brought Pablo Laso’s men within a single point, a difference that continued (57-56) as the 30th minute ran out. From the lightbulb, Nick Weiler-Babb completed the Munich comeback shortly after the start of the fourth quarter, but Justin Anderson drove with a triple what ended up being a 10-2 run (67-60), and which could have been a little bigger.
It wasn’t because Jones then hit a triple into the hoop, although Álex Mumbrú’s pupils didn’t suffer too much either. The Spanish-Congolese power forward Serge Ibaka, hobbled by an injury, missed two free throws that hampered another visitor’s comeback attempt.
LUCIC FOR THE GOOD AND THE BAD
As if that were not enough anger for Laso on his bench, the referees signaled an unsportsmanlike foul on Carsen Edwards with 1:19 remaining in the game, due to an involuntary elbow given to Jones during a tackle by the Bayern player towards the ‘taronja’ basket. ‘.
Yes, Edwards’ success was worth it, but his hit on Jones was sanctioned. The ‘7’ of Valencia Basket, after recovering from his face, made his two free throws and established the 69-64, cut to 69-65 by a free throw from Lucic. Immediately afterwards, and after an error by Jones, the German team desperately forged an attack that ended with a foul received by Lucic.
The Serbian forward was rising from beyond the arc, so he had three shots at his disposal from the personal line. He scored everything and put the score at 69-68, 26.5 minutes from the final horn, which scared the ‘Taronja’ fans. Jovic, who was then fouled by the rival, took advantage of a single free throw (70-68).
And with the last possession in Bayern’s hands, Laso devised a pass from Weiler-Babb to Lucic, which was fulfilled in theory but not in practice, as the Serbian missed his three-point shot at the buzzer. The outcome helped Valencia Basket to place itself with a balance of 14-16, in the middle of the fight to be tenth, and left Bayern at 13-17.
DATASHEET.
–RESULT: VALENCIA BASKET, 70 – BAYERN MUNICH, 68 (45-37, at halftime).
–EQUIPMENT.
VALENCY BASKETBALL: Jones (19), Jovic (4), Ojeleye (14), Pradilla (8) and Inglis (15) — the starting quintet –; Lopez-Arostegui (2), Anderson (6), Claver (-), Robertson (-), Toure (2) and Pangos (-).
BAYERN MUNICH: Bolmaro (5), Edwards (10), Lucic (7), Ibaka (4) and Booker (16) –starting quintet–; Francisco (12), Weiler-Babb (2), Bonga (-), Wimberg (-), Radoncic (1), Giffey (7) and Harris (4).
–PARTIALS: 28-15, 17-22, 12-19 and 13-12.
–REFEREES: Javor, Jovcic and Sukys. No eliminated.
–PAVILLION: Fuente de San Luis, 5,764 spectators.