Valencia defeated Joventut after overtime in one of the highest-scoring games of the ACB playoffs
Valencia Basket took a 1-0 lead in the semifinal series of Spain's Liga Endesa after defeating Asisa Joventut Badalona 118-117 after overtime on 10 June 2026 at Roig Arena in Valencia. According to the official ACB game report, the match ended in front of 12,910 spectators, and its 235 total points immediately placed it among the most memorable games of the more recent playoff stage. Valencia reached victory in a duel in which it repeatedly looked tactically stalled, but survived the surges of the team from Badalona, the zone defense that caused it problems, and two final defensive possessions in which Joventut had a chance to overturn the outcome. The first semifinal game was decided only after an additional five minutes, and according to the EFE report published on the official ACB website, Jean Montero, Jaime Pradilla, and Kameron Taylor played key roles in the closing stretch. Valencia thereby made use of its home-court advantage and took initial control of a best-of-five series.
A game that immediately changed the tone of the series
The semifinal between Valencia and Joventut began as a meeting of teams that had entered the playoffs from different positions, but with very clear identities. The ACB schedule and playoff draw list Valencia as the second seed, while Asisa Joventut entered the quarterfinals from sixth position, but reached the semifinals after a demanding series against Kosner Baskonia. Valencia eliminated Surne Bilbao 2-0 in the quarterfinals, which gave it somewhat more time to prepare, while Joventut had to go to a third game and win in Vitoria. That context was important because the host entered the first game in the role of favorite, but it quickly became clear on the court that an advantage in the standings did not also mean an easy passage. From the beginning, Joventut imposed a rhythm that forced the host to make adjustments, especially through control of possessions, smart use of perimeter players, and a readiness to stop every Valencian run with a three-point shot.
According to the official ACB chronicle, the visitors read the rhythm of the game well in the first phase of the contest and tried to slow it down through the experienced Guillem Vives. Valencia nevertheless closed the first quarter with a 26-22 lead, but the advantage did not reflect complete control by the home team. Jean Montero and Jaime Pradilla kept the offense effective, while the hosts had to search for solutions outside standard patterns because Joventut's defensive structure closed off easier drives into the paint. An additional problem for coach Pedro Martínez was the early exit of Nate Reuvers, who, according to the ACB report, injured his left ankle and did not return to the game. In a game with such a high tempo and number of possessions, the loss of one rotation player was especially felt in the battle under the rims and in the distribution of minutes among the big men.
Rubio and Joventut's zone kept Valencia under pressure
The second quarter belonged to Joventut, which, according to the official statistics, won that period 32-25 and went into halftime with a 54-51 lead. The decisive factor was the combination of Ricky Rubio's experience, the shooting threat of Ludde Hakanson and Cameron Hunt, and the defensive zone that coach Dani Miret used to disrupt Valencia's offensive automatisms. The ACB report states that Valencia found it difficult to identify stable solutions against that zone, but stayed in the game through quick transition attacks and Montero's major individual impact. Rubio in those minutes looked like a player dictating not only the tempo but also the psychological tone of the game. His assists and drives created the feeling that Joventut could take over the home court, and every Valencia miss opened space for another visiting action.
Rubio was precisely the main figure for Joventut on an evening that, according to ACB's statistical analysis, entered the historical sections of the playoffs. He finished with 22 points, 4 rebounds, and 11 assists, and ACB states that he became only the third player in playoff history with at least 22 points and 11 assists in a single game, and the first to achieve it as a visitor. Such an impact was especially important because it did not come only from isolated offensive solutions, but from the constant involvement of teammates. Joventut finished the game with 28 assists, which, according to ACB's analysis, equals the fourth-best mark in playoff history. When a team scores 117 points away from home in a semifinal, it is clear that this was not a random shooting wave, but a systematic finding of good attacks.
Pradilla brought the host back, Montero closed overtime
The third quarter kept the game in complete balance. Valencia won it 28-24, but failed to create a gap that would calm the closing stretch. According to ACB's chronicle, after the break the host tried to speed up the game to the point where Joventut would not have time to set up the zone, and Pradilla in that period was one of the most important players in maintaining offensive fluidity. Joventut responded with off-ball movement, passes beyond the first option, and a readiness to attack as soon as Valencia lost its defensive shape. After three quarters, the score was 79-78 for Valencia, announcing a finish in which every decision, switch, and free throw would carry weight. Such a development of the game further emphasized how difficult it was for the host to break the match open, even though it had more rebounds and a higher total performance index.
In the final quarter, Joventut, according to ACB, had a seven-point advantage and a 93-86 lead five minutes before the end. That moment could have been a key turning point in the series already in the first game, but Valencia responded patiently and with more physical firmness. Jaime Pradilla hit an extremely important shot that tied the game for the host at 105-105 seventeen seconds before the end of regulation, after which Valencia defended Joventut's final attack. Hakanson missed a difficult attempt, so the game went to overtime. The additional five minutes continued the same pattern: Valencia looked for Montero and Taylor, Joventut relied on Rubio, Hunt, and perimeter shooting, and the difference constantly hovered around one possession. In the closing stretch of overtime, Montero, according to the EFE report, made the free throws that gave Valencia a minimal lead, and the host's final defense prevented Hunt from getting a clean finish.
The numbers show why people talked about a historic evening
The official ACB game report confirms how exceptional the game was offensively. Valencia scored 118 points with 27 made two-point shots from 40 attempts, 15 three-pointers from 42 attempts, and 19 free throws from 23 attempts. Joventut, on the other side, made 23 two-point shots from 43 attempts, 18 three-pointers from 37 attempts, and 17 free throws from 21 attempts. The rebounding difference was on the side of the hosts, 47-36, while the assist ratio was almost even, 29-28 for Valencia. In such a statistical picture, it is clear why the contest remained open until the final possession: the host had more control in the paint and on the glass, while the visitor constantly neutralized that advantage with perimeter shooting and offensive organization.
- Jean Montero led Valencia with 27 points, 8 assists, and 31 performance index points, according to the official ACB statistics.
- Kameron Taylor added 19 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, and 31 performance index points, with an important defensive role in the closing stretch.
- Jaime Pradilla finished with 16 points and 8 rebounds, and his tying shot near the end of regulation was one of the turning points.
- Ricky Rubio led Joventut with 22 points, 11 assists, and 33 performance index points, which was the best individual index of the game.
- Jabari Parker and Cameron Hunt scored 19 points each for Joventut, while Adam Hanga added 12 points and 6 assists.
ACB's special statistical analysis described the game as one of the best in the history of the Liga Endesa playoffs. According to that analysis, the 235 total points are the third-highest combined offensive figure in the history of the ACB playoffs. ACB notes that only the 2013 game between CAI Zaragoza and Valencia Basket, with 242 points after three overtimes, and the 1987 meeting between Estudiantes and Real Madrid, with 236 points, also after three overtimes, had more. Particularly notable is also the fact that Joventut, with 18 made three-pointers, equaled the playoff record, while Valencia, with 29 assists, equaled the record for the number of assists in a single playoff game. Such numbers explain why the minimal difference at the end was not the result of a chaotic finish, but the consequence of two offensively exceptional teams in great rhythm.
Valencia took the first point, but Joventut sent a clear message
The 118-117 victory gives Valencia a 1-0 lead and confirms the importance of home court, but the game itself showed that the series will not be one-sided. Joventut had the final attack at Roig Arena both in regulation and in overtime, which means it was one more precise shot or one better decision away from a major road comeback. According to the ACB report, the home team failed for much of the game to fully solve the visitors' zone, but stayed in the game thanks to transition, rebounding, and the individual quality of its main players. For Valencia, it is especially important that it won on an evening in which it did not have complete tactical control. For Joventut, meanwhile, it is encouraging that it scored 117 points away from home and showed it can keep pace against one of the league's most efficient lineups.
The series is played to three wins, and the official regulations of ACB's playoff bracket competition confirm that the semifinals and final are played over a maximum of five games. According to the ACB calendar, the second meeting between Valencia and Joventut is scheduled for 12 June 2026 at 20:00, again at Roig Arena. The third game is planned for 14 June in Badalona, while the fourth, if necessary, would be played on 16 June, also on Joventut's court. A possible fifth game is planned for 18 June in Valencia. In the other semifinal, according to ACB's playoff display, Barcelona won the first game against La Laguna Tenerife 100-67, which means both higher-seeded hosts opened the semifinals with victories.
The next meeting demands quick adjustments
In the continuation of the series, the main focus will be on how Valencia responds to Joventut's zone and whether it can reduce the number of open shots that the team from Badalona created after the extra pass. In the first game, the host had 29 assists and 47 rebounds, but despite those numbers it had to save the contest in the final seconds. Pedro Martínez can be satisfied with the reaction in crisis moments, but he will have to find a more stable way to open space for his shooters, especially if Joventut again decides to slow the game down through Vives and Rubio. On the other side, Dani Miret can build the preparation for the second game on the fact that his lineup already found enough offensive solutions to win in the first duel. If Joventut maintains its shooting efficiency and Valencia does not raise its level of control over the rhythm, the semifinal could turn into a long and very uncertain series.
For now, however, the only concrete advantage is on Valencia's side. The team from Roig Arena won a game in which it conceded 117 points, allowed the tying of the playoff three-point record, and twice defended the final attack to stay ahead by the minimum margin. It is a psychologically important victory because it shows that the host can withstand even a game in which the opponent hits almost all the key shots. Joventut leaves Valencia without the first point, but with confirmation that it has the offensive and tactical potential to seriously threaten the favorite. The second game, scheduled for 12 June, will therefore not be just the continuation of the series, but also a test of adjustment after one of the highest-scoring and most tense evenings of the ACB playoffs.
Sources:
- ACB Live – official game report for Valencia Basket - Asisa Joventut with the score, player statistics, referees, arena, and attendance (link)
- ACB / EFE – game report and chronology of key moments in Valencia's 118-117 victory after overtime (link)
- ACB – statistical analysis of the game, historical context of 235 points, three-point and assist records in the playoffs (link)
- ACB – official calendar and times of the 2026 Liga Endesa playoffs, including the schedule of semifinal games (link)
- ACB – playoff bracket competition rules confirming that the semifinals and final are played to three wins, that is, a maximum of five games (link)