Undefeated Group B leader Power Electronics Valencia hosts Hemofarm Stada on Tuesday in what is essentially a must-win game for the visitors. While Valencia has cruised through the regular season thus far and already clinched first place in its group, Hemofarm lost its first three games and must win to keep its destiny in its hands. The good news for Hemofarm is that it comes off its first win, an 88-76 victory over Le Mans before the winter break in which Bojan Krstovic led five Hemofarm scorers in double figures with 16 points. Valencia trailed 36-27 at halftime and needed to work hard in the second half to beat Hemofarm 68-75 when they met on opening night. Nando De Colo scored 20 and Kosta Perovic added 18 to lead Valencia to victory, while veteran Goran Jagodnik paced Hemofarm with 17. Those players figure to play major roles in this game as De Colo and Jagodnik remain their team’s top scorers. De Colo is the focal point of a deep Valencia backcourt that also starts three-point ace Rafa Martinez and brings Marko Marinovic and Thomas Kelati off the bench. De Colo will have to shake point guards Stefan Markovic and Miljan Pavkovic to get his usual point haul, while Jarod Stevenson will match up with Martinez. Hemofarm sends the veteran Krstovic to match up with rising star Victor Claver at small forward, while Jagodnik challenges Matt Nielsen at power forward. Hemofarm’s promising big man Milan Macvan could also see time against Claver in an intruiging matchup of two supreme talents, while Florent Pietrus brings muscle off the Valencia bench. At the pivot, Perovic and Sehiy Lishchuk will aim to quiet Hemofarm’s Boban Marjanovic. The hosts may have a scouting advantage with a pair of Serbian players (Perovic and Marinovic). Valencia will also need to guard against complacency, since with the top spot already wrapped up, this game has no bearing on the next stage for head coach Neven Spahija and co. Despite its size, Hemofarm enters the game ranked among the worst rebounding teams in the competition (28.3 rpg.), an issue it must address to pull off a road win in Valencia.
REFEREES: Paolo Taurino, Boris Shulga, Regis Bardera