Valencia races past Cibona to open Round 2

U18 Valencia Basket shrugged off a 17-point first quarter deficit and raced away to a 72-87 victory over U18 Cibona Zagreb as the home side improved to 2-0 in Group A of the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Valencia. Alonso Faure scored 19 points with 11 rebounds to lead Valencia, which trailed 26-9 late in the first period but out-scored Cibona 9-38 in the second frame. Millan Jimenez added 19 points, 8 rebounds and 4 steals, Guillem Ferrando picked up 14 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 steals and Alejandro Bellver added 12 points for the host team, which won this tournament last season. Cibona fell to 1-1 despite Luksa Buljevic collecting 29 points and 19 rebounds. Cibona star Roko Prkacin was held to 8 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks.

Buljevic’s first three-pointer helped Cibona open a 10-3 lead. He added another one and Hrvoje Majcunic nailed two long-balls and Noa Svoboda hit from downtown in a 14-2 run as Cibona led 26-10 after 10 minutes. The second quarter was an entirely different story, starting with Bellver nailing three-balls on Valencia’s first three possessions and a Diego Rivas triple knotted the game at 30-30 and Rivas’ next basket put Valencia up 33-34. Buljevic managed a trey to put Cibona back ahead but Ferrando and Jiminez both knocked down long balls in an 0-14 close to the first half and a 35-48 lead at the break. Prkacin scored the first basket of the second half but Faure nailed a three-pointer among his 11 points in a 4-20 surge for a 41-68 advantage. Buljevic made sure Cibona would at least not go down without a fight with 15 points in a 16-2 run to pull within 56-70 after 30 minutes. Prkacin’s two free throws made it 58-70 until Freds Bagatskis’ three-pointer got Valencia’s offense going and he added a jumper, another three-pointer and a free throw for a 64-80 cushion. Filip Paponja and Svoboda both hit three-balls at the other end but it was too little, too late for a comeback.