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jun 02 2026Valencia Basket opens its playoff path in the 2025-26 Liga Endesa season this Wednesday with the first quarterfinal game against Surne Bilbao Basket. The matchup will be played at Roig Arena starting at 7:00 PM and begins a best-of-three series in which the orange squad has the home-court advantage.
Head coach Pedro Martínez's team arrives at the matchup after completing an excellent regular season, finishing in second place and securing home-court advantage following their victory against Barcelona in the final game. The first objective will be to confirm that favorite status at home and prevent a competitive, physical rival with little to lose from turning the series into a threat from the opening game.
The series also comes with a very recent precedent between both teams. Valencia Basket defeated Surne Bilbao 88-83 just weeks ago, although the Bilbao squad was able to react during the game and make the matchup much tighter than it appeared at one point. That history serves as a warning for Valencia, which knows it cannot afford lapses in such a short series.
The orange squad faces its twentieth consecutive playoff appearance, a testament to competitive stability within Liga Endesa. However, the buildup to the first game is marked by injury concerns. Xabi López-Arostegui remains sidelined with a muscle injury and Josep Puerto is also unavailable due to mononucleosis. Nate Reuvers has returned to practice after missing the last two games with a viral illness, although he is not in peak condition.
Those concerns are compounded by issues with Jean Montero and Isaac Nogués. The Dominican point guard did not participate in the final session due to a shoulder injury suffered at Palau Blaugrana, while Nogués twisted his ankle during practice before the game. Pedro Martínez will have to manage a limited rotation at a moment of maximum demand.
Across the court will be Surne Bilbao Basket, returning to the Liga Endesa playoffs for the first time in eleven years. Head coach Jaume Ponsarnau's team, well-known to Valencia fans, has had a solid season and finished the regular season in seventh place. Their return to the title playoffs adds an emotional component to a series in which the Bilbao squad will look to compete without hesitation.
The matchup also carries historical significance. Surne Bilbao's last playoff appearance was precisely against Valencia Basket in the 2015 quarterfinals. That series was decided in a tight third game in Miribilla, settled by Pau Ribas with two decisive plays in the final minute. Before that, in 2011, Bilbao had already eliminated the Valencia squad after winning at La Fonteta and closing out the series at home.
The winner of this series will face the victor of the matchup between Asisa Joventut and Kosner Baskonia in the semifinals. First, Valencia Basket must protect its home court and prove that its strong regular season continues into the decisive moment, while Surne Bilbao will look to capitalize on its return to the playoffs to write another important chapter in its recent history.
