Valencia Basket Opens Xavi Albert Era with Victory Over Casademont (88-81)

Valencia Basket won its first game under Xavi Albert's leadership. The team defeated Casademont Zaragoza 88-81 in Benicarló in a preseason matchup with the expected ups and downs of limited game action, decided in the final minutes when the roster depth difference became apparent.

A Fast Start

The first basket of the new project came from veteran Nate Reuvers, who started alongside TJ Shorts, Kam Taylor, Gonzalo Corbalán and Dylan Osetkowski. The pace was high from the beginning, with good shooting from both sides and quick rotations from both coaches.

Shorts quickly showed that his speed will be a problem for many Liga Endesa defenses, though Jasiel Rivero was the early dominant force in the paint. The tie was broken late in the quarter with a 9-0 run built on free throws from Brooks, baskets from Shorts and Moore, and an alley-oop between Shorts and Gueye for 30-22.

Casademont Refused to Back Down

The Aragonese team came out stronger after the first break, with Caleb Homesley leading a 7-1 run that rebalanced the score. The second quarter was a constant exchange, with three-pointers from Mo Gueye and Brooks for Valencia and responses from Blumbergs, Cárdenas and Jaworski, reaching halftime at 50-44.

In the third quarter, Zaragoza continued to grow. Homesley connected from three, Blumbergs punished with putbacks and Justin Jaworski gained accuracy, until a three-pointer from Miguel González put the Aragonese ahead for the first time (55-57). Jaworski himself closed the quarter with a three-pointer at the buzzer for 68-69.

The Final Details

The final period started cold for both teams, and that's where Valencia ultimately prevailed. A dunk from Omari Moore in transition, a three-pointer from Puerto following good defense and a basket from Brooks put the game on track.

Shorts sealed it: an assist to Osetkowski, a penetration for a score and a forced foul with a successful free throw. Jaworski still hit a three-pointer to stay close, but the Valencia point guard forced another trip to the free throw line that closed out the 88-81 victory.

Takeaways from Both Teams

For Valencia, good first impressions from Brooks, Gueye and Osetkowski, plus the clear leadership of Shorts in decisive moments. Among the new faces, only Mario Saint-Supéry, who was on the roster, went without playing time.

For Casademont, the takeaway is one of progress. They competed evenly with a EuroLeague opponent, dominated long stretches of the third quarter and continued to rely on Jaworski, who already scored 38 points in his debut against iLerna Lleida. Coach Gonzalo García de Vitoria's team continues to build an almost entirely new roster, with seven signings and four returning players, while also awaiting the recovery of Jilson Bango.