By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Valencia for the third time in its history won the Eurocup by beating in a double final Unics Kazan. The Spaniards proved to be the better team, after winning both games. The first leg ended with a 80-67 win for the team of coach Perasovic, which also prevailed today on the road (85-73).
Justin Doellman is the MVP of the finals and the player who emerged as the brightest star of the contest, despite missing the season MVP award to Unics’ top scorer Andrew Goudelock. The guard of the Russian club scored 22 points in the second game, however after the first quarter during which the hosts scored just four points – partial score 16-4 in favor of Valencia – the Spaniards never lost control of the game.
Doellman finished the game with a great stat line (26 points, 5 rebounds, 4 steals, 1 assist and 1 block) being a true leader for the Spaniards. Winning the Eurocup also gives to Valencia a ticket to next season’s Euroleague. As Doellman said after the game: “I have to thank my coach and teammates for putting me in the right position to do well, but the most important thing is that we won a championship tonight and we will celebrate together. Andrew Goudelock is a great player, but Sam Van Rossom and Oliver Lafayette played great defense against him and our teammates as well, we helped each other out and tried to slow him down. We were not nervous; we were very comfortable and came here with the mentality to win. We tried to impose our rhythm on defense, played very well tonight and that’s the most important thing. We were able to get a championship”.
Coach Velimir Perasovic added: “For me, the Eurocup title is much more important than playing the Euroleague next season. It is a title that you have to respect… We won a very important European title, [which is] very hard to get”. From the losing side, Nikos Zisis said: “Kaimakoglou not being there was a big factor, but we never used that as an excuse. He is one of our most experienced and important players, but history is made by the players that play. Valencia deserves this title”.