Partizan opened the tour of the Iberian Peninsula with an away game against Valencia in the 15th round of the EuroLeague. In the end, the victory went to the black-and-whites with a score of 72-67 after a tense finish.
As expected, Aleksa Avramovic and Uros Trifunovic did not play, while Frank Kaminsky returned to play for Valencia after a few games off. On the other hand, the two most significant absences for Partizan were Jared Harper and Semi Ojeleye.
Kevin Punter opened the game with a three-pointer, and Partizan played well. However, due to a slightly slower pace, it was evident why Valencia is the best defensive team in the EuroLeague. After five minutes of play, Partizan led 9-8, and P.J. Dozier brought a more significant advantage. Partizan then closed the opening quarter with a 7-2 run, leading 19-14.
Mateusz Ponitka and the in-form James Nunnally made their shots at the start of the second quarter, bringing the black-and-whites to their largest lead of seven points (26-19). Valencia then improved its defense, with Kassius Robertson hitting two three-pointers, and Jaime Pradilla orchestrated the turnaround, giving the Spanish team a 30-28 lead.
Both teams struggled to score, and after a trench battle, Valencia led 34-33 before halftime. It’s worth noting that at the end of the second quarter, Alex Mumbru received a technical foul for dissent, so the second half started with free throws for Partizan.
The beginning of the second half was marked by Zach LeDay with five consecutive points, and on his shoulders, the black-and-whites took a 46-41 lead. Valencia managed to reduce the deficit to just two points, but Nunnally and Punter extended Partizan’s lead to seven with a mini-run of 5-0. By the middle of the third quarter, Valencia already had 12 offensive rebounds, but the inspired LeDay hit another three-pointer, giving Parni valjak a 49-40 lead.
Valencia mostly scored points from the free-throw line, and at the end of the third period, the one who opened it fantastically, Zach LeDay, put the finishing touch with an extremely difficult shot for Partizan’s 53-44 lead heading into the last ten minutes.
The Spanish team opened the fourth quarter with a 5-2 run using a zone defense as a surprise, but P.J. Dozier restored a significant nine-point lead (57-48). Just when it seemed that Partizan could establish control, Chris Jones and Josep Puerto created a 9-2 run, guaranteeing a thrilling finish (59-57).
When it was most needed, Alen Smailagić hit a crucial three-pointer, but on the other side, Jones was unstoppable. Punter hit a three-pointer two minutes before the end for a 67-61 lead, but Valencia didn’t give up, and Robertson scored. With 60 seconds remaining, the black-and-whites led 69-65.
With 27 seconds left, James Nunnally stole the ball from Robertson and laid it in for a significant six-point lead. It was the 11th steal for Partizan. In the end, that move secured a sufficient advantage for Partizan to celebrate their fifth consecutive victory in EuroLeague games.
The most deserving for the triumph were Zach LeDay and James Nunnally with 14 points each, Kevin Punter scored 13, and P.J. Dozier added nine. On the other side, Chris Jones led Valencia with 14 points.
In the next EuroLeague showdown, Partizan will visit Real Madrid, while Valencia will host Virtus.