Valencia 111-88 Baskonia Vitoria: EuroLeague opener turns into a statement win

Valencia opened its EuroLeague campaign with a emphatic 111-88 victory over Baskonia Vitoria on September 30, 2026, delivering one of the most complete offensive performances of the early continental season. The Spanish side controlled the game from the second quarter onward, turned a competitive first-half battle into a one-sided affair, and finished with a 23-point margin that underlined its depth, pace, and shooting quality.

The final score of 111-88 was not simply a product of hot shooting. Valencia moved the ball with purpose, attacked mismatches in transition, and punished Baskonia on the glass. By the time the fourth quarter arrived, the home crowd was celebrating a result that could carry real significance in the EuroLeague standings and in the race for playoff positioning later in the season.

Match overview

Valencia and Baskonia know each other well from Spanish basketball, and that familiarity produced a sharp, physical opening. Baskonia tried to slow the tempo and force Valencia into half-court decisions, while Valencia looked to push after every miss and create early offense. The home side’s energy eventually overwhelmed Baskonia’s rotations.

Valencia led 55-44 at halftime and then broke the game open with a dominant third quarter. The lead grew beyond 20 points in the final period, allowing Valencia to rotate its bench and still maintain a comfortable cushion. Baskonia never found a sustained answer on defense, and its offense became too dependent on individual plays rather than collective execution.

Quarter-by-quarter scoring

• First quarter: Valencia 28, Baskonia 20
• Second quarter: Valencia 27, Baskonia 24 — halftime: Valencia 55-44
• Third quarter: Valencia 29, Baskonia 22 — end of third: Valencia 84-66
• Fourth quarter: Valencia 27, Baskonia 22 — final: Valencia 111-88

Key moments

The defining stretch came early in the third quarter. Baskonia had briefly threatened to make it a single-digit game, but Valencia responded with a quick 12-0 run built on defensive stops, transition layups, and open three-point looks. That burst pushed the margin to 20 and forced Baskonia into a timeout it never truly recovered from.

Every time Baskonia attempted a comeback, Valencia had an answer. A corner three, a second-chance basket, or a driving foul drawn in the lane kept the momentum firmly with the home side. The final minutes were a formality, but the manner of the win mattered: Valencia never allowed Baskonia to believe a late rally was possible.

Tactical story

Valencia’s offense was built on pace and spacing. The guards pushed the ball after makes and misses, the big men set high screens to free shooters, and the wings crashed the offensive boards. That combination produced a balanced scoring attack and forced Baskonia to defend in rotation far too often.

Defensively, Valencia disrupted Baskonia’s pick-and-roll game by switching aggressively on the perimeter and helping early in the paint. Baskonia’s isolation-heavy approach led to contested mid-range shots and limited second-chance opportunities. The rebounding battle was especially one-sided, giving Valencia extra possessions that turned a close game into a blowout.

Standout performers

Valencia’s scoring was spread across the roster, with multiple players finishing in double figures. The backcourt controlled the tempo, the forwards ran the floor, and the bench provided a spark without a drop in intensity. It was the kind of collective effort that makes a team dangerous in the EuroLeague’s long regular season.

For Baskonia, there were brief individual flashes, particularly from its perimeter scorers, but the support was inconsistent. The visitors needed a big night from their leading offensive players to stay in touch, and when Valencia’s defense tightened, Baskonia’s shot quality fell away.

EuroLeague standings and season impact

Valencia starts the EuroLeague season 1-0 with a valuable point differential boost. In a competition where tiebreakers often decide playoff seeds, a 23-point win can matter as much as the victory itself. Baskonia drops to 0-1 and will need to correct its defensive communication and rebounding quickly.

The result also sets an early tone in the Spanish rivalry. Valencia showed it can play fast, score over 110 points, and still defend well enough to pull away. Baskonia, meanwhile, leaves with clear areas to address before its next EuroLeague outing.

What’s next

Valencia will look to carry the momentum into its next EuroLeague fixture, where a road test will reveal whether this offensive rhythm travels. Baskonia returns home searching for a response, likely emphasizing transition de