1995-96

The relegation of the previous year necessarily implies a great revolution at Club level. Pamesa Valencia, in the hands of the brothers Fernando and Juan Roig continues to promote this new stage, for which it is decided to start a project several years ahead. At the head of the new project will be perhaps the most important coach in the history of the club, Miki Vukovic, coming from the elite of women's basketball in this same city.

The base of the EBA team will be formed by the young national players of previous years, who will occupy more important roles. Thus, Nacho Rodilla and Víctor Luengo will become the main references on the outside. Bernardo “Berni” Álvarez, one of the most promising players in the category and coming from Tarragona, will be hired to join the team. César Alonso, after finishing his loan period, will consolidate his position as a reserve point guard, getting his space in the team.

In the interior, Phil Cartwright is hired, an American who joins the life of the group and is integrated with total normality. Accompanying him on the inside, JJ Llamas and Jesús Fernández continue and Rubén Burgos, a 4 pointer with shooting ability, and Felipe Enguix join the team from the youth team. On the outside, Ferfecto García helped in the rotations.

The rest of the team, completed again by players from the youth academy as Ernesto Martinez, Pablo Esmoris, Antonio Tortajada or Ricardo Calatayud. In total, 9 out of 14 players in the squad came from the Pamesa Valencia youth academy, a “local” team to achieve promotion.

As the year progressed, the group became aware of the possibilities of promotion, the results were good and they came out of complicated courts like Montcada with flying colors. The hard competition of the EBA was being overcome little by little. Efforts are joined also in the fans, forming the Penya Bàsquet Chede the union of all.

Alfonso Castilla made his debut as team manager, after working as a kit man and becoming over time one of the most veteran figures in the club.

In the group prior to the Final Four, the team managed to overcome strong rivals for promotion such as Huelva, led by Ray Smith, and Fuenlabrada, led by Iván Corrales and Jackie Espinosa. They successfully reached the Final Four to be played in Lugo.

On the way to Galicia, the music of Presuntos Implicados enlivened the trip, so much so that it played over and over again throughout the outward journey. Once there, the victory in the semifinals against Oriol Junyent's Cornellà overflowed with joy. The team was, once again, qualified for the ACB. The defeat in the final against CB Granada became inconsequential. That year, the ACB did not allow promotion, but the economic problems of CAI Zaragoza opened the door to hope, and Pamesa Valencia would return, just one year later, to the ACB.

As an appetizer to this feat, already in the postseason, the team would travel to Greece (Thessaloniki and Athens) to enjoy the promotion. There, in addition to a tournament, the team had the opportunity to meet a basketball legend like Dominique Wilkins, then playing for Panathinaikos. A gift at the end of a dream year.