The Spanish side caught fire from downtown, but then had to hold on before a bit of magic from “El Problema”
Jean Montero announces himself to the EuroLeague as Valencia blitzes Milan
Game Report
3 Mins read
Regular Season
Round 6 of 38
Regular Season
EA7 Emporio Armani MilanEA7
100103
Valencia BasketVBC
Overview
l
w
l
l
l
w
l
l
l
w
It didn’t take long for Jean Montero to make his mark in the EuroLeague.
Playing in just his second game among Europe’s elite, the Valencia Basket guard showed the calmness and guile of a veteran as he knocked down a three-pointer with 43 seconds remaining to give his team a 100-103 road win at EA7 Emporio Armani Milan on Thursday night.
But that wasn’t all Montero did on the night. To start with, the 22-year-old – who was the BKT EuroCup Rising Star and a member of the All-EuroCup First Team last season – was instrumental in Valencia leading 48-54 at the half, sitting on a team-high 11 points, 1 rebound and 2 assists after 20 minutes.
He was effectively a passenger as his teammates caught fire from deep in the third quarter, with Valencia going up by 22 (57-79) after seven straight threes to start the second half were followed by a score inside and a pair of free throws by Omari Moore. In the fourth quarter, Montero made all four of his free throws, but he was ready when his moment arrived.
Despite having last made a field goal with eight minutes to go in the second period, “El Problema” looked like the most confident person inside the Forum when he sized up Shavon Shields, stepped back and fired up a line-drive three-pointer. Milan had come all the way back to tie the game at 100-100, but Montero was determined to play the role of party pooper.
Another who fulfilled that same role was Darius Thompson, whose block on Shields’s three-point shot with three seconds left effectively put the game on ice.
“That’s how we do it,” Montero told EuroLeague TV after the game. “We fight until the end. This is a 40-minute game and everybody’s got to stay together.”
Following a nondescript EuroLeague debut last week in Valencia’s defeat at AS Monaco, a game in which he posted 4 points, 3 rebounds and 1 assist, Montero showed many glimpses of the incredible talent that he has during the win over Milan.
In fact, his connection with center Neal Sako in the first half was very reminiscent of the French big man’s partnership with Theo Maledon last season, while his ability to dance with his opponents and hit big shots was very Mike James-esque. As Valencia play-caller Pedro Martinez alluded to in the post-game press conference, Montero showed incredible personality to get the win over the line – a trait that is associated with the very best players in the EuroLeague.
“We were a little bit afraid in the last five minutes because Milan was scoring easily and we had some doubts, but finally – like what happens in tight games – the personality of players makes the difference,” Coach Martinez said. “The three that Montero made in a tight game was an incredible shot for us.”
On a night when Valencia hit a season-best 15 threes and matched its season high of 103 points, it so easily could have gone another way. For Omari Moore, however, it’s just another reason why EuroLeague fans should be watching Valencia games.
“We’re a team that’s going to play hard every single game,” he said while talking to EuroLeague TV. “We’re going to fight with everybody on the road, at home; we’re going to get out and run. We’re an exciting team to watch, so I hope more people tune in.”
More people should tune in, not only to watch Valencia’s electrifying offense but also to catch “El Problema” in action. It’ll be worth it, I promise.
