Madrid edged into the King’s Cup semi-finals after a dramatic 86-85 victory over Valencia Basket, earned in a decisive final moment when the visiting team held the ball but could not convert the go-ahead.
From the opening whistle, Real Madrid took control. They established better positioning on the floor and earned the first chances in the paint, building a small but meaningful lead as the first quarter settled (16-9).
Noting his squad’s nerves, coach Mumbrú paused the action early to steady the ship. Real Madrid pushed the tempo and reached a peak advantage of nine points (18-9) with Tavar es patrolling the lane, denying easy looks and forcing misses. Valencia fought to keep pace, but Madrid finished the opening ten minutes with a clear command of the game (21-13).
Changes in Madrid
Mateo introduced several adjustments, and the refreshed lineup remained untroubled. With Luka Dončić-like ball handling from Llull, solid interior presence from Hanga, and Hezonja’s scoring punch, Madrid extended the margin to 16 points, marking a first-half high at 31-15. The white side executed with confidence, while Jasiel Rivero answered for Valencia to keep them within reach.
Two consecutive baskets by the Cuban forward trimmed the gap to eight (31-23). The Madrid bench responded with urgency, and Hezonja sparked a burst of activity in the second quarter, helping push the score to 39-26. Valencia refused to concede, and a late burst by Prepelic and a 0-6 run narrowed the halftime deficit to seven (41-34), keeping the contest firmly in reach for the second half.
Influential ‘taronja’ region
Coming out after the break, Mumbrú stuck with his rotation and the plan paid dividends. Madrid showed some rust offensively, and Valencia’s response kept the pressure on. Tarojna’s late surge produced a five-point swing (45-40), signaling a shift as Valencia began to threaten Madrid’s grip on the game. Madrid briefly steadied (51-42), but Valencia had already regained momentum.
With Jones directing the offense, Valencia pressed Madrid into uncomfortable positions, reducing the gap to just two points (60-58). By the end of the third, Madrid remained in the fight (63-58), and the game entered a much more open phase as both teams traded blows into the final quarter.
Madrid somehow survived the fourth period, but the path was tense. The Whites faced a late challenge as Valencia nudged ahead and created a window to steal the win. The Jones-Harper pairing delivered much of Valencia’s late offense, pushing Madrid into a one-possession game and briefly handing the initiative to the visitors (79-81), though the lead did not crystallize for long.
In the final minutes, Jones stepped up with two attempts to seal it for Valencia, but the shots wouldn’t fall. Madrid clung to life and found a way to push the game to overtime’s absence, closing the match at 86-85 in a hard-fought quarterfinals duel.
Data sheet
86- Real Madrid (21+20+22+23): Williams-Goss (4), Moses (9), Deck (19), Yabusele (10), Tavares (11) – top five – Hanga (9), Hezonja (16), Rodríguez (2), Poirier (0), Cornelie (3), Llull (3)
85- Valencia Basket (13+21+24+27): Radebaugh (4), Jones (20), Claver (4), Puerto (0), Dubljevic (9) – starter -, Harper (16), Prepelic (5), Pradilla (5), López-Arostegui (3), Evans (3), Alexander (8), Rivero (8)
referees: Emilio Pérez Pizarro, Oscar Perea and Oscar García.
events: The first quarter-final match of the King’s Cup in front of 9,218 spectators at the Badalona Olympic Stadium.