One more time over this EuroLeague season, Olimpia did enough to win the game but didn’t finish the job and in Valencia succumbed 84-72. Led by an astronomical game by Devon Hall (17 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, a terrific defensive effort), Olimpia took control of a close game late in the first half. Shabazz Napier hit a three before the buzzer to extend the lead to eight points. In the third quarter, Olimpia led by as many as 11 points when Napier found his rhythm. Valencia attempted a first come back, shrank the lead to four only to attend anoth run by Olimpia. Shields made the three that gave Olimpia a 10-point lead back. Semi Ojeleye responded, but Alex Poythress completed a three-point play. Late in the third, Olimpia was stille leading 56-46. “The game was under out control, for 26 minutes we played an excellent game. But in the EuroLeague, it’s never enough,” Coach Ettore Messina pointed out.
This is the moment when Valencia had its run that Olimpia couldn’t stand. It started with a Brandon Davies’ steal at midcourt for an easy dunk. Then, a couple of more turnovers, a flagrant foul called on Diego Flaccadori, allowed Valencia to embark on a 10-0 run that tied the game up inside the last two minutes of action. After the time-out there was one more three, so Valencia too the lead. “They used a tremendous aggressive pressing that took us out of our game, we should have moved the ball faster and better,” Messina said. The fourth quarter for six minutes was a fistfight. Olimpia retook the lead off Shabazz Napier’s drives. He scored 20 points at the end. With 4:31 left in the game, the score was still tied.
After the time-out, Olimpia settled too much on threes that didn’t find the net in a ice-cold night from the perimeter (below 28 percent), while Valencia used its size to go inside. Brandon Davies went to the line on consecutive possessions and made his free throws, Semi Ojeleye added a huge fade-away. It was a 6-0 run that closed the game effectively. Valencia found its rhythm at the end and closed the game comfortably.
Rodney McGruder made his debut in the game. He started and was productive early in the game. Shavon Shields had minutes restrictions. He stayed on the court for 13 minutes. He was very good in his first two spells.
