Jean Montero is nicknamed "El Problema". If anyone had doubts on why he is called like that, Montero made sure everyone knew. 


Jean Montero solved Valencia's scoring problems against Hapoel

In an intense and extremely tactical showdown, Valencia Basket grabbed a 91-82 victory over Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv at La Fonteta, taking a 1-0 lead in their best-of-three semifinal playoff series and getting within one victory of returning to the EuroCup Finals for the eighth time.

It was not easy for Valencia, as Hapoel started the game with the right rhythm, not allowing the hosts to share the ball and forcing their best scorers into one-on-one situations. Hapoel quickly identified [Yam Madar](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/yam-madar/011052/) as its go-to guy, and soon got plenty of help from [Marcus Foster](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/marcus-foster/010386/) to get a double-digit margin, 36-46, near halftime.

Valencia needed answers on offense and 21-year-old guard [Jean Montero](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jean-montero/010042/) provided them from that moment until the end of the game.

Jean Montero finished the game with 24 points, scoring 20 of those in the final 22 minutes of the game. He led Valencia to a 1-0 lead in its best-of-three semifinal series against Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv.

Montero leads Valencia past Hapoel

Montero went to the line twice and made all 4 free throw attempts to help Valencia get within 42-48 at halftime. After the break, Montero scored around the basket off a great pass by [Chris Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/chris-jones/010568/), added a floater and sent the crowd to their feet with a wild four-point play. He then found [Matt Costello](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/matthew-costello/010444/) for a jump hook that capped a 12-0 run. When Hapoel got within 62-59 late in the third quarter, Montero stepped up once again with an off-balance three-point play.

He was far from done: Montero buried a jumper and soon added a three-pointer to put Valencia on track to win the game, 74-63, with 8 minutes remaining. Montero finished the game with 24 points, scoring 20 of those in the final 22 minutes of the game.

"I don't really focus on points. I am just trying to do my thing the best I can do, to help the team to get the dub. I know I am really good at getting points but I am just trying to do my thing," Montero said. "They are a great team and we can never give up. We know it is not going to be an easy series. They have great players and we have to fight through it, just keep in the momentum."

Game Videos

Valencia had 4 assists before the break but once Montero found his rhythm, everybody followed. Valencia had 14 assists in the second half and committed just 9 turnovers. It also outrebounded Hapoel by 42-31, including 16 offensive rebounds. 

After the game, Valencia head coach [Pedro Martinez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/valencia-basket/pam/martinez-pedro?season=U2024) praised Hapoel's defense and said that he expects another top-class basketball battle in Game 2 on Friday.

"We beat a great team that plays very tough, very smart, an incredibly well-coached team. We had a lot of problems and were out of rhythm for a lot of minutes," Coach Martinez said after the game. "It was a tough game, maybe the toughest game of the season for us. We have to prepare, because the next game is going to be very similar to this."

Game News

If anyone questioned why Montero is nicknamed 'El Problema', he supplied answers on Tuesday night

Valencia Basket v Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv (2025-03-25T19:30:00.000Z)

Jean Montero scored 16 of his 24 points in the second half 


Valencia outlasts Hapoel at home, 91-82! 

Valencia Basket got closer to its eighth EuroCup Finals by downing Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv 91-82 at La Fonteta in Game 1 of their best-of-three semifinal playoff series on Tuesday.

Valencia took a 1-0 lead in the series and earned a chance to punch its finals ticket if it beats Hapoel again in Game 2 in Samokov, Bulgaria. Jean Montero led the winners with 24 points. Chris Jones and Matt Costello each added 13 while Nate Reuvers had 12 for Valencia. Yam Madar and Marcus Foster were Hapoel's top scorers with 20 points apiece. Johnathan Motley had 12 while Antonio Blakeney added 10 for the visitors.

Blakeney got Hapoel going with a five-meter jumper and Motley added a layup. Tomer Ginat capped a 0-6 opening run with a backdoor layup. Jones halved the Valencia deficit, Yam Madar followed Motley's layup with a three-pointer. Reuvers dunked and Jones added a jumper, but Madar singlehandedly kept the visitors in charge, 8-15. Montero sank a six-meter shot before Jaime Pradilla ignited the crowd with a coast-to-coast dunk. After Ish Wainright and Stefan Jovic traded layups, Ginat struck from beyond the arc to boost Hapoel's lead to 14-20. Brancou Badio found his first points for Valencia. Ginat matched Jovic's layup with a floater and Foster's power basket established a 20-24 Hapoel lead after 10 minutes.

Reuvers took over with an alley-oop dunk early in the second quarter and then Jones followed a layup with a triple to give Valencia its first lead, 27-24. Montero capped a 9-0 run with a layup, prompting Hapoel to call timeout at 29-24. Madar struck from downtown and matched Jones's backdoor basket with a layup. He then scored in penetration to tie it at 31-31. Pradilla scored in the low post and Blakeney struck twice from beyond the arc before Jovic drew Valencia within 34-37. Motley stepped up with a three-point play and got help from Blakeney and Marcus Bingham to make it a double-digit game, 36-46. Montero and Costello brought Valencia closer, 42-48, at halftime.  

 

Montero followed a layup with a floater after the break and soon added a wild four-point play to put Valencia back ahead, 50-48. Costello capped a 12-0 Valencia run with a jump hook. Madar and Timor stepped up to bring Hapoel within 52-51. Reuvers made free throws before Costello followed a jump hook and a three-pointer that prompted Hapoel to call timeout at 59-51. Foster tried to change things with a bomb from downtown and matched Pradilla's fastbreak layup with a driving basket that brought Hapoel within 62-57. Bingham made foul shots before Montero's off-balance three-point play gave Valencia plenty of fresh air, 65-59, at the end of the third quarter.

 

Madar buried a jumper off the dribble, which Costello immediately erased with a fastbreak layup. Montero sank a jumper and followed Costello's layup with a bomb from beyond the arc that boosted Valencia's lead to 74-63. Foster followed a driving layup with a three-pointer to give Hapoel hope, 74-68, with 6 minutes left. Reuvers dunked and Jovic erased Foster's floater with a driving layup. Foster buried a corner triple after a timeout. Reuvers took over with an alley-oop slam and Badio's layup-plus-foul kept Valencia in control, 83-74, with over 3 minutes remaining. After Timor struck from downtown, Xabi Lopez-Arostegui scored around the basket and Pradilla's layup sealed the outcome, 87-77. Hapoel kept fighting but the Valencia fans were already celebrating an important home win.

Valencia outlasts Hapoel at home, 91-82

Bahcesehir College Istanbul dominated on the glass and got a huge lift from its second unit en route to a 74-66 victory over Dreamland Gran Canaria in the opening game of their best-of-three BKT EuroCup Semifinals series

Bahcesehir's second unit lifted it in Game 1

It may not have been the way coach Dejan Radonjic drew it up, but it worked perfectly. Bahcesehir College Istanbul dominated on the glass and got a huge lift from its second unit en route to a 74-66 victory over Dreamland Gran Canaria in the opening game of their best-of-three BKT EuroCup Semifinals series.

The home team scored its first basket of the game, a CJ Massinburg three-pointer, after a Kenan Sipahi offensive rebound and continued to control the boards the rest of the night. By the end, Bahcesehir outrebounded Gran Canaria 42-27, including a whopping 20 offensive boards. The home team turned those into 16 second-chance points.

The man who led the way was Marko Simonovic, who tallied 8 rebounds. Those were part of a spectacular line that also included 20 points, 3 assists and 3 steals for a personal-best PIR of 29.

Bahcesehir's reserves made the difference in Game 1

What made his line stand out even more was the fact that Simonovic did not start the game. He was joined by Sehmus Hazer, Furkan Korkmaz and Jalen Smith among Bahcesehir who left their mark on the game despite coming off the bench.

That quartet combined for 42 points, 13 rebounds, 12 assists and 5 steals. The Bahcesehir starters had 32 points, 24 rebounds, 11 assists and 3 steals in 27 more combined minutes.

Hazer made his mark early, subbing in with the game tied 15-15 and promptly nailing a three-point shot from the corner. He would add a monster slam in the second quarter and finished the game with 9 points, 3 assists and 1 steal in 19 minutes.  

Korkmaz did his damage in the second quarter when he scored all 8 points of his points. Smith clocked in with just 5 points, but dished 6 assists.

Their impact can be seen in the +/- stats with Simonovic at +19, Smith +9 and Hazer +7, showing how Bahcesehir simply played its best basketball with them on the floor.

The series now moves to Spain for Game 2 on Friday and Gran Canaria will need to pay extra attention to Bahcesehir's second unit if it hopes to tie the series and force a deciding game next week back in Istanbul.

The Turkish side has the advantage in its series with Gran Canaria

Bahcesehir College Istanbul v Dreamland Gran Canaria (2025-03-25T17:00:00.000Z)

Bahcesehir College Istanbul is one win away from the BKT EuroCup Finals after defeating former champion Dreamland Gran Canaria 74-66 in the opening game of their best-of-three semifinals series at Sinan Erdem Sports Hall

Bahcesehir overpowers Gran Canaria 74-66 in Game 1 of semifinals

Bahcesehir College Istanbul is one win away from the BKT EuroCup Finals after defeating former champion Dreamland Gran Canaria 74-66 in the opening game of their best-of-three semifinals series at Sinan Erdem Sports Hall. After trailing by 5 in the opening quarter, Axel Bouteille fueled a 13-0 run for the hosts who held on the rest of the way.

The lead would reach 18 at one point, before Gran Canaria was able to rally within 5 in the fourth quarter. However Marko Simonovic made sure Bahcesehir held on for the victory by scoring 10 of his game-high 20 points in the last period. Simonovic also posted 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals in a brilliant performance, while Bouteille finished with 15 points for the winners. Mike Tobey posted 14 points for Gran Canaria in defeat.

Bahcesehir opened the scoring with a second-chance three-pointer from CJ Massinburg before Gran Canaria got going with a pair of jumpers. Bouteille and John Shurna traded threes to make it 8-8. Tobey stepped up with a slam and a three to put the visitors ahead and Joe Thomasson broke down his defender for a layup and a 10-15 lead. Bouteille scored 5 straight points to tie things and then he fed Sehmus Hazer for a go-ahead triple. Simonovic added a slam before Bouteille scored again to complete a 13-0 run. A long jumper by Caleb Homesley drew Gran Canaria within 27-21 after 10 minutes.

After a layup by Hazer, Furkan Korkmaz's free throws gave the hosts a double-digit lead. Korkmaz added a three-pointer for a 34-21 lead. Homesley free throws ended a 3+ minute scoring drought, but Bahcesehir continued to roll as Jaleen Smith connected from deep and Korkmaz got to the line, prompting a Gran Canaria timeout. Shurna stepped up with 3 free throws and a three-pointer to narrow the gap to 40-29. Bahcesehir used its rebounding prowess to overpower the visitors and Tyler Cavanaugh's three-pointer made it 47-33. The half ended with the home team ahead 49-37.

Cavanaugh knocked down a three and Simonovic added a jumper as Bahcesehir extended its lead to 17, which prompted a Gran Canaria timeout. The stoppage changed little as the hosts continued to score almost at will. The visitors showed signs of life with a Nicolas Brussino three and a Homesley jumper to get within 59-46. George Conditt helped Gran Canaria continue to chip away at the deficit and Mehdy Ngouma's three-pointer ended the low-scoring third quarter with the score 62-52.

Ngouma scored twice to get Gran Canaria within 7 early in the fourth quarter as the Bahcesehir attack stalled. Thomasson picked off a pass and cashed it in for a layup that made it 64-59. That was as close as Gran Canaria would get as Simonovic scored on the next two possessions. The visitors continued to fight, but the clock became an opponent, too, and Bahcesehir was able to hold on in the final minutes.

Marko Simonovic was the star performer for the winners with 20 points and 8 rebounds

Igor Petrinovic explains why he can see Bahcesehir College Istanbul lifting the EuroCup trophy this season.

Why Bahcesehir can win the EuroCup

Defense wins championships, right? And the secret of [Bahcesehir College Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/bahcesehir-college-istanbul/bah/)’s success is the team’s defense.

Coach [Dejan Radonjic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/bahcesehir-college-istanbul/bah/radonjic-dejan/) has put together a roster to his liking, one that will have enough on offense to cause opposition play-callers a headache (Bahcesehir is averaging a respectable 82.2 points), but also one that will shine on defense. And his squad has played some stellar defense this season.

This Bahcesehir side allows the fewest points (75.1 ppg.) in the EuroCup this season. It also holds opponents to a league-low in rebounds (32.6 rpg.), allows the third-fewest assists (16.3) and holds opponents to 51.3% two-point shooting, the third-lowest mark this season.

Bahcesehir has held opponent to 70 points or fewer in eight games this season, and in four more it allowed 76 or fewer.

Jaleen Smith Top Plays of the 2024 Regular Season

Jaleen Smith is the leader for Bahcesehir

Bahcesehir also understands how important it is to take care of the ball as it commits a EuroCup-low 11.2 turnovers. That part of the game is a product of the team’s experience.

The likes of [Jaleen Smith](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jaleen-smith/011192/), [Furkan Korkmaz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/furkan-korkmaz/005763/), [Axel Bouteille](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/axel-bouteille/003840/) and [Mateusz Ponitka](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/mateusz-ponitka/004172/) have played a lot of EuroCup and Turkish Airlines EuroLeague basketball, so they certainly understand the importance how every possession matters.

Also, those four might be the team leaders, but Bahcesehir has a deep roster and its frontcourt is among the most dangerous in the competition, with the inside force of [Tai Odiase](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/tai-odiase/011823/), the long range-shooting of [Tyler Cavanaugh](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/tyler-cavanaugh/009601/), and a bit of both from [Marko Simonovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/marko-simonovic/012711/).

Add the X-factor called [Sehmus Hazer](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/sehmus-hazer/011201/) into the equation and the importance of getting [CJ Massinburg](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/cj-massinburg/011821/) and Pontika back after long absences, as well as mid-season playmaking addition of [Kenan Sipahi](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/kenan-sipahi/005275/) fitting in like a glove, and Bahcesehir seems ready to make a push for the throne.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">👉 BKT EuroCup Yarı Final ilk maçında, evimizde 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚’yı konuk ediyoruz!<br><br>🗓️ 25 Mart Salı<br>⏰ 20.00<br>📍 Sinan Erdem Spor Salonu<br><br>❤️💙 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FlyHighTogether?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FlyHighTogether</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HayalDe%C4%9FilHedef?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HayalDeğilHedef</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroCup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroCup</a> <a href="https://t.co/unR3iWWYNs">pic.twitter.com/unR3iWWYNs</a></p>&mdash; Bahçeşehir Koleji Spor Kulübü (@BKBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/BKBasketbol/status/1903701306180550863?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

This group of guys are certainly hungry for success because, among all the names listed above, there are no EuroCup titles next to their name. There are many EuroCup finals, and semifinals and quarterfinals appearances, but no championships.

This team, these players and their head coach have not been flashy, but steady. And showcased they know how to win games. They certainly can win four more and go all the way.

Igor Petrinovic explains why he can see the club from Istanbul is going all this way

Dreamland Gran Canaria v Bahcesehir College Istanbul (2025-03-28T20:00:00.000Z)

Geoff Gillingham explains why he can envisage Jaka Lakovic’s CB Gran Canaria going all this way in the EuroCup this season.

Why Gran Canaria can win the EuroCup

Been there, done that, got the postcard. That’s certainly the message [Jaka Lakovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/dreamland-gran-canaria/can/lakovic-jaka/) will be stressing to his [Dreamland Gran Canaria](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/dreamland-gran-canaria/can/) players ahead of the BKT EuroCup Semifinals.

Just two years ago (yes, time does fly when you’re having fun), Gran Canaria lifted its first major trophy by winning the EuroCup. That team, led by Coach Lakovic, really was the crème de la crème of the EuroCup in 2022-23, and five players on the current roster were part of that triumph: [Andrew Albicy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/andrew-albicy/003425/), [Nico Brussino](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/nicolas-brussino/008121/), [Miquel Salvo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/miquel-salvo/005005/), [John Shurna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/john-shurna/006588/) and [Jovan Kljajic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jovan-kljajic/007560/).

Remembering the 2023 EuroCup Final!

Immediately, that is something that should play in Gran Canaria’s favor at this stage of the campaign. Experience and know-how are what teams lean on during the playoffs and, in that sense, the Canary Island side have it in abundance. [Mike Tobey](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/mike-tobey/008966/), one of the new recruits last summer, is another who knows what it takes after winning the 2019 EuroCup title with Valencia Basket, a team Gran Canaria may meet in the finals.

But first, Bahcesehir College Istanbul. The Turkish club has lofty ambitions, yet this is its first year back in the EuroCup. To date, Bahcesehir has played 29 games in the competition. Gran Canaria? 267, the most all-time. The 2023 champion knows the EuroCup inside out, and that’ll become clear during its series with Bahcesehir.

These two teams did already meet in the regular season, splitting the series, but the playoffs are a different beast altogether. This is when the real Gran Canaria comes to play.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PermitidoSo%C3%B1ar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PermitidoSoñar</a>. Conocemos el camino. Esfuerzo, sacrificio y trabajo en equipo. El martes arranca una batalla que llegará el viernes a nuestra casa ⚔️🔥 <a href="https://t.co/6BccL4cEYn">pic.twitter.com/6BccL4cEYn</a></p>&mdash; Dreamland Gran Canaria (@GranCanariaCB) <a href="https://twitter.com/GranCanariaCB/status/1903794192179945799?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

On top of the experience that Gran Canaria can offer, it has such a deep roster that any player could step up on any given night. So far in this postseason, we’ve already seen big games by [Mehdy Ngouama](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/mehdy-ngouama/009556/), a EuroCup champion with Paris Basketball last season, Tobey, Brussino and [Joe Thomasson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/joe-thomasson/012095/) in the last 16, then [Caleb Homesley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/caleb-homesley/011251/) and the trio of Tobey, Thomasson and Brussino once again in the quarterfinals.

The impressive thing about Gran Canaria is that, in any of the semifinal games, it wouldn’t come as a shock if Salvo, Shurna, Albicy, [Pierre Pelos](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/pierre-pelos/010452/) or [George Conditt](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/george-conditt-iv/012016/) had a telling impact on the contest. That variety makes Coach Lakovic’s group a scary proposition for any team.

For now, Gran Canaria will be wanting to take it one game at a time. That said, if we end up getting an all-Spanish finals against Valencia Basket, the Canary Island outfit is 1-0 against Pedro Martinez’s men in the Spanish League this season. As they say in Spain, *ojo*.

Ever since winning the EuroCup title in 2023, Gran Canaria has been sponsored by Dreamland, which feels fitting given that’s exactly where their fans will be if – as I suspect – they witness another championship run.

Geoff Gillingham explains why he can envisage Jaka Lakovic’s side going all this way this season

Javier Gancedo goes into what makes Valencia Basket the favorite, not just in its series against Hapoel Tel Aviv but also overall.

Why Valencia Basket can win the EuroCup

Sometimes, things are meant to be and the best team takes home the trophy. It's as simple as that.

[Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/valencia-basket/pam/) has consistently proved to be the best team in the BKT EuroCup this year. It comes into the semifinals with just two losses to its name, which came when the team was already on the right track to be first in its regular-season group. It has dominated the competition in style, playing great basketball. It has scored 100 points or more in 11 of its 19 games this season and even reached 127 points in the Spanish League this past weekend, a new club record. Good momentum is everything in a playoff series, and Valencia heads into the most decisive games of the season at full speed.  

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">🔥🇪 🇸🔥<br>🔥🇱 🇦🔥<br>🔥🇭 🇴 🇷 🇦🔥<br><br>Fonteta... ¿Estamos preparados para lo que viene? <br><br>🏆 P1 1/2 <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroCup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroCup</a><br>🏡🆚 <a href="https://twitter.com/HapoelTLVBC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HapoelTLVBC</a><br>⌚ Martes-20:30h<br>📺 <a href="https://twitter.com/MovistarPlus?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MovistarPlus</a><br>🤝🏻 <a href="https://twitter.com/pamesaceramica?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@pamesaceramica</a> <a href="https://t.co/QulWaHCXQM">pic.twitter.com/QulWaHCXQM</a></p>&mdash; Valencia Basket Club (@valenciabasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/valenciabasket/status/1904226637962527006?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Sure, Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv has the star power and a two-time EuroLeague-winning coach like Dimitris Itoudis. It managed to bounce back from [Patrick Beverley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/patrick-beverley/001927/)'s departure by bringing back homegrown hero [Yam Madar](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/yam-madar/011052/), a former EuroLeague Rising Star award winner. Valencia has everything else in its favor: know-how, depth and home-court advantage.

This is Valencia's 10th EuroCup semifinal appearance and it is aiming to lift its fifth title. No other team has won the EuroCup more than twice. Every time Valencia played a semifinal under the current format, it went through: against Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem in 2017 and UNICS Kazan in 2019. Valencia means serious business when is this close to the goal.

Valencia has a really deep roster and the fact that I didn't mention any of its players until now is not a coincidence. Anyone can step up and contribute. As many as nine players average over 7.0 points per game, led by small forward [Semi Ojeleye](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/semi-ojeleye/011982/) (12.8 ppg.). [Matt Costello](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/matthew-costello/010444/) and [Jean Montero](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jean-montero/010042/) have stepped up in recent games, but it could be just anyone. Hapoel has very well-defined scoring options and in that sense, coach Pedro Martinez's team is way more unpredictable... in a good way.

Semi Ojeleye of Valencia Basket averages 12.8 points so far in this 2024-25 BKT EuroCup season.

Semi Ojeleye: Valencia's top scorer

Home-court advantage means a lot to Valencia as it has won 86.6% of all EuroCup games played at La Fonteta. Only four teams have ever beaten Valencia in postseason action: Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar in the 2013 semifinals, Khimki Moscow Region in the 2015 quarterfinals, Unicaja Malaga in Game 3 of the 2017 Finals and Virtus Bologna in the 2022 semifinals. Valencia rarely loses at home, and it has an extra motivation. 

At the end of this season, the club will move to the bigger, brand-new Roig Arena. There is no better way to say goodbye to La Fonteta than winning the EuroCup and opening Roig Arena in the EuroLeague, the best stage possible.

Coach Martinez is looking to reach his third EuroCup Finals. In 2008, his Akasvayu Girona side lost against Joventut Badalona in Turin, Italy. In 2017, his Valencia squad had everything in their favor, leading by 13 points with 9 minutes left but ended up losing a do-or-die Game 3 against Unicaja Malaga. This is the kind of painful memory that never goes away, and I think Valencia can use it as an extra motivation, like it did in the 2019 Finals against ALBA Berlin. Given Valencia's strength at home, it is unlikely that it loses twice against any opponent this season.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">🗣️ Habla Pedro<br>&quot;𝘚𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘴 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘢𝘫𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰 𝘺 𝘭𝘢 𝘪𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘪ó𝘯 𝘦𝘴 𝘮á𝘹𝘪𝘮𝘢. 𝘝𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘮𝘰𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢 𝘫𝘶𝘨𝘢𝘳 𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘥𝘰𝘴&quot;<br><br>🏆 P1 1/2 <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroCup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroCup</a><br>🏡🆚 <a href="https://twitter.com/HapoelTLVBC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HapoelTLVBC</a> <br>⌚ Martes-20:30h<br>📺 <a href="https://twitter.com/MovistarPlus?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MovistarPlus</a> <br>🤝🏻 <a href="https://twitter.com/pamesaceramica?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@pamesaceramica</a> <a href="https://t.co/sKKNYNNTSv">pic.twitter.com/sKKNYNNTSv</a></p>&mdash; Valencia Basket Club (@valenciabasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/valenciabasket/status/1904134348607041814?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

If you want numbers, Valencia has them all. It leads the competition in scoring (96.5 ppg.), defensive rebounds (27.7 drpg.), assists (23.6 apg.), three-point shots attempted (34.6) and accuracy (39.1% 3FG). The faster Valencia plays the better chance it has to win, and with such depth and physicality, it will make sure to speed up the game tempo as often as possible.

Four excellent teams made it to the EuroCup Semifinals and any of them could lift the trophy at the end of the season. But, personally, I would be surprised if that team is not Valencia.

Javier Gancedo goes into what makes Valencia the favorite, not just in its series against Hapoel Tel Aviv but also overall

Why Valencia can win the EuroCup

Frankie Sachs breaks down why he likes Hapoel’s chances to go all the way this season, starting with the semifinal series against top-ranked Valencia.

Why Hapoel Tel Aviv can win the EuroCup

Do you believe in destiny? Because the good folks at [Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/hapoel-shlomo-tel-aviv/hta/) do.

What do [Johnathan Motley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/johnathan-motley/011157/), [Bruno Caboclo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/bruno-caboclo/012096/), [Noam Yaacov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/noam-yaacov/011386/) and [Yam Madar](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/yam-madar/011052/) have in common? They all played in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague last season – two of them even reached the Final Four – and they chose to take a proverbial step back to the BKT EuroCup and accept the challenge of making history with Hapoel. Add to them former EuroLeague champion head coach [Dimitris Itoudis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/hapoel-shlomo-tel-aviv/hta/itoudis-dimitris/) and [Ish Wainright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/ishmail-carzell-wainright/013284/), who spent the last three seasons in the NBA, and you have a team determined to make noise regardless of the opponent.

Hapoel has certainly faced some ups and downs, including two players pegged for meaningful roles ([Patrick Beverley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/patrick-beverley/001927/) and [Ben Bentil](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/benjamin-bentil/009818/)) being released during the season. But the team seems to be peaking at the right time, having now won eight straight games in all competitions.

Talk to the players on the team and they will tell you how the mid-season introduction of Coach Itoudis has made them better. The numbers will show you how the mid-season signing of Madar has made the offense better. Another late addition, [Marcus Bingham](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/marcus-bingham/013506/), has made the team deeper and more dangerous on defense.

Marcus Bingham: Hapoel's X-factor

Between Motley, Caboclo and Bingham, Hapoel has as deep a big-man rotation as any EuroCup side, including the dangerous Valencia trio of [Jaime Pradilla](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/jaime-pradilla/010393/), [Matt Costello](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/matthew-costello/010444/) and [Amida Brimah](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/amida-brimah/012075/). Between [Marcus Foster](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/marcus-foster/010386/) and [Antonio Blakeney](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/antonio-blakeney/013402/), there is a lethal scorer on the floor at all times. With Madar, Wainright, [Guy Palatin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/guy-palatin/013283/) and Bingham, there are stud defenders. And thanks to [Joe Ragland](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/joe-ragland/005181/), [Bar Timor](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/bar-timor/004846/) and Madar, playing with multiple ball-handlers is always an option for Coach Itoudis.

Championships are naturally won on the court. But the amount of work off the court to get a team there cannot always be measured. And this Hapoel team has been putting in the work all season long, even when it wasn’t trying to.

Unable to play home games in front of its raucous crowd in Tel Aviv, Hapoel has been on the road all season. Its home games have been played in tiny Samokov, Bulgaria. So, in addition to road games in Spain, Serbia, Italy, Lithuania, Montenegro and Germany, the players have boarded a flight to the Balkans 10 times. All of that time together on planes and buses has forged a chemistry that makes the team better on the court.

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Something to prove? You betcha! Hapoel management did an excellent job of convincing players to join the project, but Motley, Caboclo, Madar and Wainright all checked to see if there were better options before putting their names on the dotted line. Ragland, 35, wants to show everyone that he's still got it. Bingham and Yaacov want to prove that they have stardom in front of them, And Timor and [Tomer Ginat](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/tomer-ginat/010550/), like Madar, want to reward the Hapoel faithful.

I could go on with numbers to show how good Hapoel can be. But I don’t think numbers will make the difference against Valencia in the semifinals. I think Hapoel has the advantage in terms of chemistry, depth and, thanks to Coach Itoudis, defense and tactical acumen. And that should be enough.

All four teams still standing have good reasons to believe that they can capture EuroCup glory. Hapoel may just have more reasons.

Frankie Sachs breaks down why he likes Hapoel’s chances to go all the way this season, starting with the semifinal series against top-ranked Valencia

Check out what the protagonists are saying ahead of the BKT EuroCup Semifinals.

Semifinals, Game 1: Pregame quotes

## Tuesday, March 25: Game 1

### Bahcesehir College Istanbul vs. Dreamland Gran Canaria (18:00 CET)

**Jaka Lakovic, Dreamland Gran Canaria head coach**

"Tomorrow we face Bahcesehir in Istanbul in the EuroCup Semifinals. We face this semifinal series with a lot of enthusiasm, ambition and desire to compete. We are playing against a team that is structured both in terms of budget and players, with the goal of winning the competition and qualifying for the EuroLeague. It is a team that is built with players of great quality, talent, experience and physicality in every position. It is a team that plays very consistently throughout the season, and it is no coincidence that they were first in our group in the regular season. We have a very difficult, physical and demanding series ahead of us."

**Mike Tobey, Dreamland Gran Canaria center**

"It's a semifinal, so logically it's a super important game. They are a tough team, very physical. We've already fought them twice, so we know how good they are, but we're going to Turkiye to win. We want to reach the final, we want to win the title, so it's a very important game, but we'll be ready. The physical level will be very important. Being tough, playing our game... It's a semifinal, so obviously you have to score important shots, but defense and matching their physical intensity will be key."

### Valencia Basket vs. Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv (20:30 CET)

**Valencia Basket head coach Pedro Martinez**

"It's a great moment, the semifinal of a European competition. It is very difficult to get here. We have worked for many months, we have gone through all kinds of moments. The motivation and our hopes are very big. We live to play these games. The players are motivated. We are privileged to play these games, to have this pressure that we have: the fear of defeat, excitement for victory. We have all that before this game. We are going to enjoy it, we are going to fight, and hopefully we can win. I'm expecting a very tight series, it's going to be tremendous. If you had told me in preseason, when you see how the teams are, I think we were one of the favorites. We are not hiding, nor are we afraid or embarrassed to say it. Valencia is a team that has been playing EuroLeague in the last few seasons and we are one of the favorites. But Hapoel Tel Aviv was the other big favorite in the competition. When they put together their roster, when you see the players they signed and then they have reinforced very well during the year with \[Marcus\] Bingham, with the change of coach, a legend like \[Dimitris\] Itoudis. It's a very big matchup. It could have been in the final, but it's in the semifinal. It doesn't matter, you have to play against everyone. Whoever wins this series is not going to immediately be crowned the champion. Whoever it is will have to play in the EuroCup Finals. But it's a big tie. We have to be prepared to play against a great team that will make it very difficult for us, and we have to be in good spirits to get through it."

**Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv head coach Dimitris Itoudis**

"We take great pride in building, creating, and writing history for all Hapoel Tel Aviv fans, supporters, and, of course, the club itself. We know the challenge ahead won’t be easy, but we are here to embrace the tough moments. We will give everything we have on the court. Beating Valencia in a best-of-three series requires much more because they are an exceptional team. They excel at running the floor and scoring a variety of creative spot-up shots. Based on our analysis, they are the best team outside the NBA in terms of scoring, three-point shooting efficiency, and the ability to generate high-percentage three-point opportunities from their offensive play."

**Bar Timor, Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv guard**

"We are extremely excited and happy to have reached this stage. Both teams have different playing styles. Valencia plays at a very fast pace and tries to control the tempo, so we have a lot to focus on in that aspect. We will prepare well, come ready, stick to our game plan, and I believe it will work."

Check out what the protagonists are saying ahead of the BKT EuroCup Semifinals