Valencia shatters Ricky Rubio's fairy tale

ValenciaNot all fairy tales have a happy ending. Ricky Rubio couldn't repeat his 2008 feat, when he led Joventut to the Copa del Rey title. The 35-year-old point guard, who tallied 11 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists, couldn't defy expectations at the Roig Arena, where Valencia Basket eliminated a competitive Asisa Joventut (95-84). The home team's greater depth proved decisive, stifling the efforts of a Joventut side that, despite the loss, made its mark.

Dani Miret's bold approach and Cameron Hunt's strong performance (26 points) went unrewarded. "We were a bit further off than we thought we could be. We disappeared from the game in the second quarter, which was key. We reacted with effort, but they were able to maintain their lead. Their talented players played comfortably," said the Catalan coach, who praised his players' mentality.

A valiant Peña put on a good start at the Roig Arena (17-23), but as the minutes ticked by, the home team's deeper rotation paid off. Valencia Basket rotated all twelve of their players (leaving three out) to ensure a pace that was difficult to match. The strategy worked, and the orange-clad team went into halftime with a 12-point lead. The green-and-black team, who missed 15 of their first 20 two-point attempts, could only manage 11 points in 10 minutes (46-34).

The home team's lead grew to 17 points (51-34), but Joventut refused to give up and narrowed the gap with a determined performance (62-58). Despite Joventut's efforts, Valencia Basket managed to maintain control until the final stretch. Players like Badio and Montero made the difference.

Barça, keeping an eye on the infirmary

Barça takes center stage this Friday at the Roig Arena. The Blaugrana close out the quarterfinals (9 p.m., DAZN) against UCAM Murcia, a team coached by Sito Alonso against whom they have lost twice this season. "We are Barça and we're going to Valencia with the sole objective of winning. We have to take it one step at a time. We're only thinking about the first game. The team is working well. We would all have liked to have arrived with the team healthy and in the same situation as a month ago, but there are many ways to win the Cup," says Xavi Pascual, who was unsure if Jan Veselý would be fit until the last minute. The other game of the day will pit Kosner Baskonia against La Laguna Tenerife (6 p.m., DAZN).