Coach Neven Spahija's team led by as many as 24 points en route to an important win
Reyer downs Valencia 81-74, climbs to winning record
Umana Reyer Venice took control early en route to downing first-place Valencia Basket 81-74 on Thursday night. Reyer improved to 7-6 with its fifth win in the last six games, while Valencia, which already qualified for the playoffs, dropped its second straight and now had has an 11-2 record.
Reyer broke the game open with a 14-1 second-quarter run, led by 22 at halftime, and then kept the lead safe in the second half as the visitors attempted a rally. Davide Moretti and Mfiondu Kebengele had 15 points apiece, Tyler Ennis had 12 points and 6 assists, while Aamir Simms scored 10 in the victory. Xavi Lopez-Arostegui had 17, and Matt Costello collected 14 points and 7 rebounds in defeat.
Game Videos
Brancou Badio scored inside and Nate Reuvers from the outside in the early going, but Kabengele had a dunk and Ennis a short jumper to help the hosts to an early 8-5 advantage. Costello hit a three-pointer for Valencia, but Kabengele took one to the rim and then nailed a corner triple, only to follow it up with a tough turnaround jumper to help open a 19-12 lead. However, Badio and Semi Ojeleye each had a three-pointer to cut it to 21-18 after 10 minutes.
Reuvers made a tough layup early in the second for the visitors, but that was in between two baskets from Simms. Moretti followed it with back-to-back triples that opened a 31-21 lead. The run did not end there, even after a Valencia timeout, with Moretti, Simms and Ennis extending it to 37-21. Valencia was held without a field goal for full 5 minutes before Lopez-Arostegui nailed a triple, but Alessandro Lever and Simms extended the margin to 43-26 with buckets from close range. The hosts continued with their relentless defense, then running it the other way, as Kyle Wiltjer and Kabengele made it 49-28 in the final minute behind a 10-1 run. Moretti's triple, his third, put 52-30 on the scoreboard at halftime.
The teams traded buckets for much of the third quarter. Lopez-Arostegui made a triple for the visitors, Jaime Pradila scored on the fast break and Costello nailed a long jumper, but Jordan Parks, Carl Wheatle and Kabengele kept the margin at 60-37. Costello scored twice more from close range and Nate Sestina hit a transition triple to help cut it to 62-46. Moretti knocked down his fourth three-pointer, but three-point-plays from Sergio De Larrea and Sestina got Valencia within 15 points and the hosts led 68-52 going into the fourth quarter.
Lever and Pradilla traded close-range baskets and, after Lopez-Arostegui took one to the rim, Simms made a hook shot to keep Valencia at bay, 73-57. However, the visitors went to the free throw line on the next three possessions, making all 6 foul shots to get the margin to 10 points midway through the fourth quarter. But Ennis scored 6 points, a driving layup, a pair of free throws and a pull-up jumper, not allowing Valencia to get the margin into single digits, 79-67. Badio did cut it to single digits and Costello's triple made it 79-74, but with just 29 seconds left, it was too late for a comeback.