EuroCup Final: Alba Berlin 44-Power Electronics Valencia 67

Power Electronics Valencia is the proud winner of the 2009-2010 EuroCup, after beating Alba Berlin 44-67. The Spanish team, with an impressive defense, collapsed the offensive game of the Luka Pavicevic players, unable to score fluently in any moment of the game. With this victory, Valencia brings the second continental trophy home of their history (after the 2002-03 ULEB Cup), and earns a passport to the next edition of the Euroleague.

Three minutes needed Alba Berlin to score the first points of the team (a 3-pointer by Derrick Byars). Power Electronics Valencia started better, with an impressive slam-dunk by Víctor Claver to make the crowd stand up. But quickly the German team got inside the game, with a serious defense that barely allowed Valencia to score (5-4, minute 5). Alba Berlin started focusing their game from the line, but it wasn't the day so far of the shooters, while Kosta Perovic was the best of the Neven Spahija players in the paint (8-8, minute 8). At the end of the first quarter, the only winner was the defense by both teams. Valencia was ahead by a minimal difference: 10-11.

The first differences appeared after a 3-pointer by Thomas Kelati (10-19, minute 13), completing a 0-8 run in the start of the second quarter. Again, Alba Berlin was unable to score in the first minutes of the period. The second unit of Valencia, leaded by Kelati and Marinovic, make the difference increase to higher levels (18-31, minute 19), against an Alba Berlin which couldn't find the way to get over the Valencia defense, despite the two 3-pointers from Julius Jenkins in this quarter. As a result, the team coached by Luka Pavicevic was 13 points down at the end of the first half after a sweet lay-up on the buzzer by Nando de Colo: 22-36.

With Immanuel McElroy out of fit due to crampings on his right leg, Alba Berlin lacked of a refrerence in the starting five of the second half. Power Electronics Valencia, despite the average game of some of their stars (Martínez, De Colo, Claver), didn't have much problems to keep the difference alive (29-42, minute 15) with the Croatian giant Kosta Perovic again as the best player. Matt Nielsen was inmense in defense, and also Marinovic was effective as the backup point guard. With just 10 minutes to go, it was difficult for Valencia to miss the EuroCup and the passport for the next year Euroleague: 33-48.

The last quarter was nothing but a party from the Valencia crowd, happy to be watching how their team was about to win the second European title after the 2002-03 ULEB Cup. Alba Berlin couldn't do anything against a team that only relaxed when winning by 25 with just 5 minutes to go (35-60). The German club, at least, secured a spot in the next EuroCup, but the main goal was too far. The final result, a contundent 44-67 that speaks for itself.