Valencia walked into Pais Arena, absorbed Hapoel Tel-Aviv’s best punch, and still walked out with a 104-99 win Thursday night in the 2025 EuroLeague season. Down big in the second quarter and staring at a momentum game for a home team that needed it, Valencia flipped the script with a composed second half — then closed the fourth quarter with the sharper execution.
The game in one line
Hapoel won the second quarter 28-12 to seize control, but Valencia answered with a 25-24 third and a decisive 27-15 fourth to steal the game late.
How it swung
Hapoel’s second-quarter burst
The middle of the first half belonged to Hapoel. After a 24-21 Valencia edge in the opening quarter, Hapoel ripped off a 28-12 second quarter to take a 49-36 lead into halftime. It was the kind of run that typically tilts a home floor — fast decisions, quick touches, and enough scoring to change the math of the night.
Valencia’s steady response after the break
Valencia didn’t chase the game all at once. The visitors chipped away with a narrow 25-24 third quarter, trimming the margin without gifting Hapoel extra possessions. That set the stage for a fourth-quarter takeover: 27 points for Valencia, just 15 for Hapoel, and the lead changed hands when the game tightened into half-court possessions.
By the numbers (team-level)
Ball movement was a defining contrast. Hapoel finished with 22 assists, Valencia with 18 — but Valencia’s late-game scoring edge decided it. With no overtime and a total of 203 points, the game ultimately turned on which team could generate clean offense under fourth-quarter pressure.
What it means going forward
For Valencia (16-10, form: LWLWL), the win reinforces its ability to survive hostile environments and win a game that swung hard against it early. The closing stretch — a +12 fourth quarter — is the template: defend without fouling, value possessions, and let the offense breathe.
For Hapoel Tel-Aviv (16-9, form: LLLWW), it’s a missed opportunity at home after building a 13-point halftime cushion. The second quarter showed the ceiling, but the fourth quarter exposed the margin for error against a team that can score in bunches. Hapoel will take the playmaking (22 assists) and search for a fourth-quarter offensive baseline that holds up when the game slows.
Scoring summary
Q1: Valencia 24, Hapoel 21
Q2: Hapoel 28, Valencia 12
Q3: Valencia 25, Hapoel 24
Q4: Valencia 27, Hapoel 15
Final: Valencia 104, Hapoel Tel-Aviv 99