Valencia Basket had made a flying start to their EuroLeague campaign. Despite having to rebuild much of their roster following the summer exodus —and the traumatic departure of head coach Pedro Martínez— the team had made the most of a relatively favorable schedule, with road games against Besiktas and ASVEL and home fixtures against Baskonia and Hapoel. Under Xavi Albert, Valencia emerged as the only unbeaten team alongside Panathinaikos after the first four rounds of the competition.
That made Tuesday’s visit from reigning EuroLeague champions Olympiacos to the Roig Arena a first major litmus test, one that would help determine whether the Valencian side was genuinely ready to be considered a contender for bigger things in the EuroLeague.
What looked set to become a historic night for Valencia instead turned into a painful defeat that will be difficult to digest. After a sensational first half, the hosts held a commanding 62-34 lead early in the third quarter, only to surrender it and eventually lose 97-102 in overtime. In doing so, Olympiacos matched the biggest comeback in EuroLeague history, equaling the feat achieved by Polish side Prokom against Montepaschi Siena during the 2012-13 season.
Beyond the record books, however, this was a painful setback for Valencia Basket, one that made it clear Albert’s team still has work to do before it can develop the maturity expected of a title contender —or, at the very least, a team capable of returning to the Final Four. For 20 minutes, the Roig Arena witnessed a masterclass. Valencia found mismatches on offense, moved the ball with fluidity and punished an opponent struggling to contain its pace. Nikola Miro-tic, Nate Reuvers, Kameron Taylor and TJ Shorts all contributed to an outstanding first half in which the Greek powerhouse seemed unable to find an answer.
But in 2026, against an opponent like Olympiacos —a team renowned for its ability to stay in ga-mes even under the most adverse circumstances— and in a competition as demanding as the Euro-League, 20 minutes of outstanding basketball guarantee nothing. As expected, Olympiacos raised its defensive intensity after halftime, and Valencia gradually lost control of the game. A devastating 28-56 swing turned the contest on its head and forced overtime, where the hosts no longer had the mental energy required to win a game they had all but put away by the break.
Valencia’s offensive fluidity in the first half gave way to more disjointed possessions, while its defense proved unable to contain an increasingly confident opponent. Evan Fournier, held scoreless before halftime, came alive after the break and finished with 23 points to lead the visitors. Meanwhile, Jean Montero, in his return to the arena he had called home for the previous two years, tormented his former team with 26 points and a decisive performance in crunch time. Olympiacos ultimately prevailed through its experience and its ability to execute under pressure —qualities Valencia Basket would do well to study as it continues to grow.
The game delivered a clear message: Valencia can play at a very high level, but it is not yet ready to sustain that level when an elite opponent forces it out of its comfort zone. Losing Montero, Brancou Badio, Jaime Pradilla, Braxton Key and Sergio de Larrea over the summer was never going to be easy to overcome for any team. Still, after an impressive start to the European season —in contrast to their struggles in the Liga Endesa, where the Orange have won just one of their first three games— the collapse against Olympiacos should help put Valencia’s true standing into perspective as the team continues to take shape.
Valencia Basket clearly has the talent, offensive firepower and potential to compete with anyone. What it still lacks, however, is the maturity to close out games of the highest intensity, particularly in a competition like the EuroLeague, where lapses in concentration are rarely forgiven.
