It is one thing to sweep a Turkish Airlines EuroLeague double-round week. It is another to do so with half a team.
One week ago, carrying a two-game losing streak, Valencia Basket learned that Chris Jones would be its seventh player missing against defending champs Anadolu Efes Istanbul at La Fonteta and 48 hours later on the court of LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne. Jones and three more players on the injured list – fellow point guard Jared Harper, center Jasiel Rivero and forward Victor Claver – had contributed almost 50% of Valencia's scoring, 39.8 of 81 points per game, before they were injured. Jones and Harper were the top assist-makers on the team, too. Veteran playmaker Martin Hermannsson has been out all season and Sam Van Rossom most of it.
To say the least, things did not look good for Valencia, whose management was being questioned for not signing help fast enough.
Lo and behold, help was not needed last week. Trailing 52-58 early in the final quarter, Valencia outscored Efes 29-13 the rest of the way, including all of James Webb's 13 point for the game, to win 81-71 and sweep the champs in their two games this season. Josep Puerto stepped up with career highs of 15 points, 7 rebounds and a 21 PIR in the victory.
"Congratulations to Valencia, they showed really great character," Efes coach Ergin Ataman said post-game. "It is not easy to play at this level without the main point guards, Jones and Harper. But with their aggressive defense, their emotions, with their character, they were able to win the game in the last quarter."