Real Madrid delivered one of its most efficient performances of the season Thursday night, defeating Valencia Basket 96-79 at Movistar Arena to secure the head-to-head tiebreaker between the two EuroLeague contenders.
The victory moved Madrid to 20-11 in the EuroLeague regular season, tying Valencia’s record while strengthening the Spanish club’s push for a top-four finish and home-court advantage in the playoffs.
Both teams entered the matchup familiar with each other after four previous meetings this season, and the opening quarter reflected that familiarity as they traded baskets in a fast tempo.
Madrid shifted control in the second quarter when Sergio Scariolo’s team erupted for 31 points and took a 51-43 lead into halftime.
The hosts maintained the offensive rhythm while protecting the ball against Valencia’s aggressive defense, finishing the night with 25 assists and just five turnovers.
Madrid broke the game open early in the third quarter with a 16-5 run that stretched the lead to 67-48.
From that point, the home side managed the tempo and never allowed Valencia to trim the deficit to single digits.
The defense sealed the outcome in the fourth quarter as Madrid held the visitors to only 14 points.
Balanced scoring defined the performance, with ten Madrid players scoring at least six points.
Mario Hezonja led the team with 16 points, while Gabriel Deck added 14 and Trey Lyles finished with 12.
The home team also shot efficiently from long distance, making 16 of 35 three-point attempts for 45.7 percent as eight different players connected from beyond the arc.
Madrid’s interior defense also played a major role by limiting Valencia to 18-for-45 shooting inside the arc.
The visitors struggled to generate their usual ball movement and finished with 16 assists, four below their season average.
Jean Montero paced Valencia with 18 points, while Josep Puerto contributed 11 in the loss.
Madrid’s dominance at home remained another major storyline.
The club has lost only once in 16 games at Movistar Arena this season, making its home court one of the most difficult venues in the competition.
Madrid will travel to face Zalgiris Kaunas on March 20, while Valencia returns home to meet FC Barcelona on March 19.
