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VALENCIA, Spain – Hapoel Tel Aviv fell short in its EuroCup semifinal opener on Tuesday night, as Valencia secured a 91-82 victory to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series.
Despite a strong start from the Reds, a dominant third-quarter surge by the Spanish side proved decisive in front of their home crowd. Hapoel came out with intensity, led by Johnathan Motley and Yam Madar, who controlled the early minutes.
The Israeli club built a solid lead, but Valencia, spearheaded by Chris Jones, quickly found its rhythm. Antonio Blakeney’s sharp shooting from beyond the arc helped Hapoel take a 48-42 lead into halftime, keeping hopes alive for an upset.
However, the momentum shifted dramatically in the third quarter. Jean Montero, one of the rising stars of European basketball, showcased his scoring ability, while Matt Costello, Jaime Pradilla, and Nathan Reuvers added key contributions.
Valencia outpaced Hapoel, leaving the visitors struggling to regain their footing. Despite Marcus Foster’s efforts in the second half, the Spanish squad held firm to claim the win.
Montero led all scorers with 24 points, while Costello and Jones chipped in with 13 points each for Valencia. Foster and Madar finished with 20 points apiece for Hapoel, while Motley’s early dominance faded in the latter stages.
Hapoel Reflects on Third-Quarter Collapse
Hapoel Tel Aviv head coach Dimitrios Itoudis acknowledged that the third quarter was the turning point in the game.
“We all agree that the third quarter got us out of the game,” Itoudis admitted. “We weren’t composed enough. We started with a turnover, couldn’t score, and committed six turnovers with zero assists. We also didn’t win the rebound battle. That quarter took us out of the game. You can’t play on the road against Valencia with the amount of possessions that we had.”
Despite the loss, Itoudis remains optimistic about Hapoel’s chances in the upcoming matchup.
“We had a good game plan and were locked in as a composed team. We saw that in the first half by scoring almost 50 points, but that third quarter cost us a lot,” he said.
“Valencia is a great team, and we expected them to react in the third quarter, but we lost our offensive mindset and got nervous after some calls. We can’t lose our composure, and we have to find a better way to execute the plan. We will work on that and figure it out over the next two days.”
Hapoel forward Tomer Ginat echoed his coach’s sentiments, acknowledging that the team must make key adjustments for Game 2.
“Unfortunately, we didn’t start the third quarter well, and when Valencia is given the chance, they run and play their style of basketball, which we were unable to stop in time,” Ginat said.
“We were in the game, and we know what we need to do on Friday to come back here for Game 3. We’ll make our adjustments, and we will arrive in Samokov, where our fans will be waiting. With their support, we will send the series back to Spain.”
Crucial Game 2 in Bulgaria
Hapoel now faces a must-win game on Friday night in Samokov, Bulgaria, where over 1,500 of their supporters are expected to attend. If they manage to level the series, a decisive Game 3 will be played in Valencia next week.
Foster remains confident in his team’s ability to bounce back.
“We did what we needed to with our game plan for the most part. I think the third quarter hurt us a little bit, but that’s the best thing about having a series,” he said.
“We have another game to work on our adjustments, and I’m excited about all of the fans who will be showing up in Samokov. Let’s get a victory and make it back here for Game 3.