Valencia sweeps Joventut, meets Barcelona in Liga Endesa final
Jean Montero poured in 24 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists as Valencia Basket defeated Joventut Badalona 87-75 on Sunday to win their semifinal series 3-0 and advance to the Liga Endesa championship round against Barcelona.
Montero's masterclass
Jean Montero broke the game open with a 24-point, 8-rebound, 7-assist performance, earning a 39 efficiency rating. The Dominican guard hit three early triples to put Valencia ahead 3-11 and later delivered a dagger three late in the third quarter that stretched the lead to 62-52. He also drew nine fouls, repeatedly putting the Joventut defense in trouble.
Joventut's resistance and Rubio's effort
Ricky Rubio anchored the hosts with 17 points and relentless leadership, while Jabari Parker added 15. The Badalona side stayed within two points at the break, 39-41, behind a physical, high-intensity game. Guard Guillem Vives was assigned to shadow Montero in the second half, but the Dominican found answers every time.
Tension and late breakout
After a tight battle through three quarters, Valencia exploded with a 10-0 run powered by Montero, Jaime Pradilla, Kameron Taylor and Matt Costello. The 10,142 sellout crowd at the Olímpic turned hostile after an elbow to Adam Hanga's nose and a near-fight between Montero and Vives, but Valencia's depth proved decisive. Joventut never got closer than seven in the final minutes.
Valencia sets up final with Barcelona
The 3-0 sweep puts Pedro Martínez's team into the ACB final for the second straight year, with home-court advantage against Barcelona. The series begins next Thursday. Valencia finished the regular season as the higher seed and now seeks its first league title since 2017, after losing last year's final to Real Madrid and falling earlier this season in the Copa del Rey and Euroleague Final Four semifinals.
Emotional farewell in Badalona
Despite the sweep, fans stood and applauded a team that reached its first ACB semifinal since 1993. Rubio, who delivered throughout the series, received a special ovation. Valencia now rides a nine-game ACB winning streak into the championship round.
