1997-98

The 1997-98 season is one of the most memorable for Pamesa Valencia. It was the year of breaking barriers, of reaching goals never before achieved and of becoming King without even imagining it. Magical moments lived in Valladolid and a step forward in the aspirations as a club. It is only the third year of the Miki Vukovic era in Valencia, and both in the City and in the ACB, there is a growing conviction that Pamesa Valencia is going to be a big club.

The biggest remodeling takes place in the inside game, Rogers and Keane leave the club and Tim Perry arrives in their place. Sasa Radunovic, an experienced power forward, arrives with Spanish nationality under his arm and after having played in Coren Ourense, Argal Huesca, Taugrés and Forum Valladolid. Tim Perry arrives after a successful NBA career in which he played up to 9 seasons. His qualities, his poise and his ability to intimidate despite his 2'06 height.

Jesús Fernández and Iñaki Zubizarreta continue to play inside, and we are looking to add a fifth effective player. Initially, the Irishman John Burke was selected, but after only two games, the bet is now on Alfons Albert, a player from Torrent who comes from Joventut. Rubén Burgos was loaned to Gandía.

On the outside, the hard core of Spanish players that achieved the promotion continues, captained by Víctor Luengo, Nacho Rodilla, Berni Álvarez and César Alonso, with more and more prominence for José Luis Maluenda in his second year. The foreign spot was filled by Reggie Fox, a skilled shooting guard with scoring ability. In addition, Aaron Swinson completed the perimeter for the second consecutive year.

From the beginning it was proven that they were on the right direction, achieving a 10-3 run and qualifying, for the first time in history, for the final phase of the Copa del Rey. And so the Cup arrived, with the few social expectations that came with facing the almighty TAU coached by Sergio Scariolo and directed on the court by Elmer Bennett. And they won, 64-72 with the start of Nacho Rodilla's exhibition, author of 19 points and 4 assists. In the semifinals the rival was Fórum Valladolid, against whom Berni Álvarez came to the rescue, overcoming the serious injury suffered by Fox, winning 73-78. The champion, Pinturas Bruguer Badalona, was waiting in the final, but shortly after the start, it was clear that the Cup was going to travel to Valencia. Vukovic beat Julbe, Rodilla beat Turner and Pamesa Valencia knocked down the champion 89-75. Pamesa Valencia made Valencians take to the streets to celebrate that on February 2, we were the champions. Moreover, this title implied the qualification for the next Saporta Cup.

It was not the only milestone. The seventh position at the end of the Regular League qualified the team to fight in the quarterfinals of the ACB Play-Off, something unheard of until then. La Fonteta saw an exciting playoff in which Real Madrid had home-court advantage. Pamesa Valencia stood up to the Real Madrid of Dejan Bodiroga and Alberto Herreros, and fell by a worthy 3-1 in its debut in the quarter-final playoffs.