EuroCup: Power Electronics Valencia 92-Panellinios 79

The start of the game was intense. The speed of Devin Smith and the quality of Ian Voigoukas in the paint made Panellinios take a tiny lead in the first minutes (9-15, minute 6). On the other side, without a stellar performance from the stars Rafa Martínez, Matt NIelsen or Víctor Claver, the offensive leader was Kosta Perovic, impressive in the Greek zone. Despite the great game of Smith (10 points in the first quarter), Rafa Martínez and a killer Nando de Colo (three 3-point made) woke up the noisy Valencia crowd, and led the team to a 8-2 run (19-17, minute 7). Three free throws made by Thomas Kelati made the the 1st quarter end 28-22 for Valencia over Panellinios, too dependant on Devin Smith.

As in the first quarter, Panellinios made a slightly better start (31-27, minute 13), but not enough for a more inspired Power Electronics Valencia. A quick 8-0 run in 2 minutes, fueled by two almost consecutive shots from behind the line by Thomas Kelati, showed why the Neven Spahija squad was the favorite in this final stage of the EuroCup. The best players of Panellinios, Voigoukas and Smith, tried to avoid a major scoring difference (39-34, minute 17). But Valencia was amazing from the line (11 of 17 in 3-pointers), and the whole thing started to turn dangerously "orange" for Panellinios (50-36, minute 29). The fifth 3-pointer from the best player today, Nando De Colo, ended the first half with 53-39 for Power Electronics Valencia.

A 0-5 run for Panellinios was a mirage at the first minute of the third quarter. Despite the continuous work of Devin Smith, and the good shooting skills of Rod Blakney, Matt Nielsen started to demonstrate his status and didn't allow Panellinios to dream of  comeback (60-49, minute 15). But Valencia wasn't at its finest minutes, and couldn't kill the game at that moment (63-53, minute 17), even with Panellinios unable to score fluently. Until Thomas Kelati appeared, and showed with 5 consecutive points that the resources of the Spanish team are almost unlimited. With only 10 minutes to go, the advantadge was +13 to Valencia, 71-58.

Devin Smith didn't give up, but the target was too high. The dark work of Matt Nielsen (6 assists for the Australian power-forward) wasn't enough for Valencia to complete the work in the first minutes of the last half, and De Colo didn't look like the same player of the first half. Three free throws from Kostas Charalampidis approached Panellinios only 6 points down (75-69, minute 35). But Neven Spahija called for a time-out, and Matt Nielsen started to become the man of the last quarter, with two vital 3-pointers with 3 minutes to go (83-74). That was it for Panellinios, who disappear for the rest of the game. The first spot of the final was, deservedly, for the orange team. At the end, 92-79 for Power Electronics Valencia.