Valencia Basket withstood a late rally from Zalgiris Kaunas to secure a 91-87 victory on Thursday at Roig Arena, reaching a historic milestone in the EuroLeague regular season.
The Spanish club improved to 20-10, marking the first time in its EuroLeague history that it has reached 20 wins in a single campaign.
Valencia controlled much of the contest before Zalgiris produced a late surge that briefly threatened to erase a double-digit fourth-quarter deficit.
The home team executed efficiently inside the arc and built its offense around ball movement and interior scoring.
Valencia finished the night shooting 66.7% from two-point range, converting 28 of 42 attempts to maintain consistent scoring pressure.
Omari Moore led the hosts with 16 points while helping manage the offense during critical stretches.
Nate Reuvers delivered one of the most efficient performances of the night, scoring 12 points on a perfect 5-for-5 shooting from the field.
Zalgiris remained within striking distance behind strong individual efforts, particularly from Matt Wright.
The guard scored a game-high 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds while attacking the basket and generating second-chance opportunities.
The Lithuanian side increased its offensive pace late in the game as the fourth quarter unfolded.
Back-to-back three-pointers from Dustin Sleva and Sylvain Francisco sparked a comeback that erased a 12-point deficit midway through the final period.
Francisco then tied the game at 87-87 with his third three-pointer of the night with less than a minute remaining.
The moment created tension inside Roig Arena and echoed a recent late-game collapse Valencia experienced in the Copa del Rey semifinal against Real Madrid.
This time, however, Valencia responded with composure.
Brancou Badio created separation on the next possession and knocked down a mid-range jumper to restore the lead.
Zalgiris still had an opportunity to force overtime, but Francisco’s next three-point attempt missed the target.
Jean Montero secured the rebound and drew a foul in the closing seconds, converting two free throws to seal the win.
Valencia will look to extend its winning streak next Thursday when it visits Real Madrid. Zalgiris will travel to face Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens on the same day.
