Last season’s Eurocup winners Valencia began this season’s campaign with a 77-46 rout of SLUC Nancy in Group N of the Last 32 on Tuesday evening.
The Liga Endesa side were always comfortable against their French visitors as Valencia gained their first win in Europe since being eliminated in the regular season of the Euroleague.
Romain Sato led the winners with 13 points. Bojan Dubljevic and Luke Harangody added 10. Keydren Clark led Nancy with 12 points.
“It is very important to start well the Eurocup. For sure that also is to take the maximum advantage possible and to realize that the game in Nancy will be totally different,” Valencia coach Velimir Perasoic said.
“The team responded well to a criteria that allowed contact. We were solid in one-on-one situations, we controlled the rebounds and I think we deserved to win.”
The hosts started the stronger of the two teams, racing away to a 13-0 start and their 19-9 advantage after the first quarter was to be the theme of the game as Nancy were overpowered in virtually every facet of the contest.
Leading 61-36 after three quarters, Valencia eased off the gas, with the result a formality.
