Valencia Basket opened its preseason with a defeat against UCAM Murcia, 92-85, in the Región de Murcia Costa Cálida tournament held in Yecla. The game marked the debut in the orange jersey for Kameron Taylor, Omari Moore, Neal Sako, and Isaac Nogués-González. For this first test, the team was missing the five players who participated in EuroBasket with Spain (Josep Puerto, Jaime Pradilla, Xabi López-Arostegui, Sergio De Larrea, and Yankuba Sima), along with Darius Thompson (at the continental tournament with Italy) and Nate Reuvers (ankle soreness). Youngsters Jorge Carot, Álex Blanco, and Tomas Talcis, together with Hungarian Valerio-Bodon (currently helping in training), completed the 12-man roster.
Head coach Pedro Martínez’s first preseason starting five featured Jean Montero, Omari Moore, Vincent Valerio-Bodon, Matt Costello, and Neal Sako. A Costello three-pointer answered DeJulius’ early basket, and a dunk from Sako responded to Cacok’s finish, but Murcia took advantage of Valencia’s lack of outside shooting to go up 10-5 after the first four minutes. Moore scored his first points from the free throw line, but a Forrest triple and a Nakic layup widened the gap to 15-7 midway through the opening quarter. A three from Sestina was matched by another from Forrest, and Radebaugh stretched Murcia’s lead into double digits for the first time, prompting Martínez to call timeout. A move from Blanco and a three-point play by Sako sparked Valencia’s offense, but Forrest kept hitting from deep despite good defense, and young Brazilian Neves pushed the lead to 12 before two Sestina free throws cut it to 29-19.
Valencia Basket started the second quarter with greater defensive intensity from Nogués and free throws from Montero. Even though Murcia also got to the line to maintain its lead, a triple from the Dominican guard forced coach Sito Alonso to stop the game with the score at 31-25 in the 13th minute. Costello carried the offensive load to reduce the deficit, but Murcia’s free throws made it 39-32 entering the final four minutes of the first half. The youngsters stepped up: Carot scored from the line and Blanco added a bucket, but Cacok dominated inside, and Sestina missed open threes that could have tied the game. That allowed the university side to extend its lead again, though a Montero layup in the final possession of the half made it 47-43 at the break.
Jean Montero scored Valencia’s first points of the second half, and a steal by Taylor finished with a dunk from the American forward to tie the game after many minutes trailing. An alley-oop dunk by Sako put Valencia ahead for the first time until Cacok stopped the run at 2-8. Ennis and Forrest with a triple restored Murcia’s lead, capitalizing on Valencia’s offensive struggles to make it 57-51 before a Carot three and two free throws. A Sestina triple briefly put Valencia back in front, and another from Montero was answered by Radebaugh from deep, sending the game into the fourth quarter with Valencia ahead 62-60.
Two Sestina free throws and a Moore triple were answered by Murcia, and Cacok tied it at 67 from the line with just over seven minutes left. Ennis extended the run with a triple, forcing Martínez into a timeout. But Ennis struck again from long range, and Brancou finally stopped the 11-0 run with a triple of his own. A Nakic three-point play made it 76-70 at the halfway point of the last quarter, but Valencia drew fouls to stay close thanks to Montero’s drives until Radebaugh scored five straight. Montero kept attacking the rim, but another Ennis triple pushed Murcia up by seven entering the last three minutes. Taylor hit a mid-range jumper and Montero added two free throws, but Valencia twice missed chances to cut it to one. Radebaugh sealed the game from the line before hitting a final triple to close it out, 92-85.
Box score
UCAM Murcia 92 (29-18-13-32): DeJulius (7), Ennis (17), Sant-Roos (5), Nakic (12), Cacok (12) – starting five – Forrest (15), Radebaugh (18), Cate (0), López de la Torre (1), Neves (5), Diagne (0).
Valencia Basket 85 (19-24-19-23): Montero (23), Moore (9), Valerio-Bodon (0), Costello (12), Sako (8) – starting five – Taylor (6), Brancou (6), Blanco (4), Carot (7), Sestina (10), Talcis (0), Nogués-González (0).
Referees: Martínez Silla, Fernández, Sánchez Cutillas.
Venue: Región de Murcia Costa Cálida Tournament, Pabellón José Ortega Chumilla in Yecla, with about 1,500 spectators.