Valencia Basket has put behind the difficult week at Roig Arena. After losing at home to Olympiacos and Maccabi, the orange team won convincingly on the road against Paris Basketball (93-104) and improves to 5-2. TJ Shorts was the star of the show, returning to Paris where he was twice French league MVP, posting 25 points and 8 assists.
Shorts sets the pace from the start
The American point guard set the rhythm from the opening tip. He had 10 points and 3 assists by the end of the first quarter, which Valencia won 26-32, and 16 points at halftime.
Paris, without Nadir Hifi and TJ Warren, stayed close thanks to Jared Rhoden and three three-pointers from Jeremy Morgan, leaving the score at 54-57 at the break.
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A 2-15 run breaks the game open
Valencia came out of the locker room with force: a Shorts shot and an assist to Gonzalo Corbalán made it 54-62. But Paris answered with a 9-0 run and a basket from Neal Sako brought it to one point (63-64). It was the last moment of doubt. Valencia responded with a devastating 2-15 run, featuring two three-pointers from Armoni Brooks, and opened up a 12-point lead (65-77) that only continued to grow. The third quarter ended 70-83 and in the fourth the lead reached 20 points (72-92). Paris trimmed the final score in the closing minutes.
Brooks finished with 22 points, and Rhoden, with 20, was the leading scorer for Paris, which has now lost four straight and sits with just one win in seven games.