The Group B leaders had to overcome a 15-0 run early in the game to prevail in a defensive battle in the Slovenian capital
Valencia shifted styles to beat Cedevita
Article
3 Mins read
Taking into account that Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana and Valencia Basket came from 100-plus-point scoring performances in their last domestic games and that Valencia had already signed off on 17 triple-digit scoring games so far this season between the Spanish league and BKT EuroCup, many could have expected a high-scoring game and an offensive-oriented clash on Tuesday.
Nothing could have been further from reality, as both squads performed below-par in field goal shooting due to hard-nosed defenses on both ends of the floor. Valencia was able to win 66-72 despite shooting 47.7% on two-pointers and 33.3% on threes. Cedevita shot 39.0% from two-point range and 24.0% from deep.
Valencia looked quite uncomfortable when its shots weren't falling as Cedevita punished the Group B leader with a 15-0 run early in the first period that seemed to jeopardize Valencia’s chances.
“Cedevita was playing a very important game for them,” recognized Xabi Lopez-Arostegui after the game. “We knew that it would be a tough atmosphere and that they would play tough, and it’s how the game started.”
Game Videos
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FLYING BLOCK! Magic Moment of the Night
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Robinson destroys the rim! Magic Moment
- 00:18
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Brimah blocks twice! Magic Moment
- 00:13
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Stewart launches Beringer for the slam! Magic Moment
- 00:16
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Robinson flies high to stop Puerto! Magic Moment
- 00:16
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Stewart blocks, Beringer dunks! Magic Moment
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Brimah throws down the alley-oop! Magic Moment
- 00:29
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DJ Stewart with a ferocious slam! Motorola Magic Moment
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Beringer soars for alley-oop jam! Magic Moment
- 00:11
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Lemar squeezes in for a tough bucket! Magic Moment
- 00:09
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Costello finds Pradilla! Magic Moment
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What an assist from Tasic! Magic Moment
- 00:16
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Stipanovic and Robinson at it again! Magic Moment
- 00:15
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Big dunk srom DJ Stewart! Magic Moment
- 00:12
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/404f3713-29b4-45b7-8ea1-7154c179922f.jpg?crop=1189%3A668%3Anowe%3A161%3A57]()
Devin Robinson with a superb put-back! Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/9a30bae0-1be5-4874-8cf1-8a1dd5c187bc.jpg]()
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Pradilla's magic pass to Costello!! Magic Moment
- 00:11
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De Larrea makes magic to beat the clock! Magic Moment
- 00:09
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/a7e00ef5-1e0b-4c26-9065-779189fc2dbc.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A39%3A144]()
Badio dunks on a lightning fastbreak Magic Moment
- 01:19
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Johnson stops Biberovic! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:12
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/1e1ff8af-8136-40d2-8d77-529229d7328e.jpg?crop=1240%3A697%3Anowe%3A27%3A70]()
Osmani's fastbreak slam! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/d14b864e-5462-45e6-94e8-c87b9bed0da5.jpg]()
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De Larrea to Brimah alley-oop! Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/Bt3SoMaLDc4/maxresdefault.jpg]()
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- 00:10
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Brimah's alley-oop dunk! Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/xXPPuE3QQpU/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana-Turk Telekom Ankara | Round 12 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:11
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/30e77f28-8d8e-4cf8-ae23-41dd09965aec.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A173%3A205]()
Stewart dunks off a steal! Magic Moment
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/8353de35-05e1-4288-9dc2-0d2233744d85.jpg?crop=858%3A483%3Anowe%3A76%3A71]()
Robinson throws it down! Magic Moment
- 00:13
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/0f385f7c-d90f-4114-be23-4a03df3528e5.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A147%3A56]()
Alexander blocks and Robinson dunks!
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/ayvAmct15g8/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Umana Reyer Venice-Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana | Round 11 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
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![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/12/11/frkln8FXktgjH5vYhWcWosft2FmSPJrh-1733953990759.jpg]()
Stewart throws it down! Magic Moment of the Night
- 00:18
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/603416db-3f76-46b7-968a-b935952785c9.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A135%3A146]()
Beringer dunks in traffic! Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/-DYE7B6b7yM/maxresdefault.jpg]()
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- 00:13
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Brimah swats Turudic! Magic Moment
- 00:12
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Pradilla with the slick pass! Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/0Tz_Dl72DC0/maxresdefault.jpg]()
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Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana-U-BT Cluj-Napoca | Round 10 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
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Stipanovic with the steal and dunk! Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/-QGxm1bgDFo/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana-Veolia Towers Hamburg | Round 9 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
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Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse-Valencia Basket | Round 9 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:11
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Brimah's huge alley-oop slam! Magic Moment
Despite that bad start, Valencia adjusted to a different style, relying on its defense to get back to the game and look for some inspiration from long-range when the game came down to the wire. With the score 60-63 midway through the last quarter, Josep Puerto rose up with back-to-back three-pointers that helped Valencia keep the lead for good.
“We didn’t start the game good,” Valencia head coach Pedro Martinez confessed at the post-game press conference. “I think we played better in the second half, and especially in the last quarter. I think we arrived in better physical condition at the end of the game and finally, we won an important game for us.
“I think we have to be happy because Olimpija Ljubljana played with a lot of energy and played a good game, with great defense, very aggressive and we had problems, but at the end we [managed to] adapt to this defense, and especially the 2 three-pointers by Puerto were key for our win.”
Being able to adjust to a different kind of game can be a key to what Valencia can expect in the playoffs, as Xabi Lopez-Arostegi stressed.
“[This win] is very important”, he said. “These kinds of games are very good for us to improve as a team, to play tough games like we are going to play in the future, so we are happy to get this win away.”