In a tightly contested Euroleague match, Valence narrowly defeated Besiktas 96-94 in a thrilling game decided by the final shot. The match, played in Istanbul on the first day of the 2026-27 regular season, saw Valence face a Besiktas team that had recently been promoted to replace AS Monaco. The game was full of dramatic twists, with ten changes in the lead during the first half before Valence took control in the third quarter. However, Besiktas fought back with a strong fourth quarter, taking a lead before Valence regained composure to secure the win. TJ Shorts, making his debut with Valence, was the standout player, scoring 26 points, including the winning basket. His performance was complemented by a true team effort, with five other Valence players scoring at least ten points. Nikola Mirotic contributed 13 points, while Kam Taylor added 12. Neal Sako was also effective, making all four of his shots and adding two rebounds and two assists. On the Besiktas side, Jaylen Nowell and Eugene Omoruyi each scored 17 points, but both missed crucial shots in the final moments of the game. The match marked an important return for TJ Shorts, who had experienced a contrasting season with Panathinaikos. He has now regained the form that made him a standout player at Paris Basketball. For Mirotic, the game was also significant, as his 13 points helped him move up to fourth on the all-time scoring list in the EuroLeague, surpassing Kostas Sloukas. After a season disrupted by injuries with Monaco, Mirotic was clearly pleased to contribute to a successful road victory. "I'm very happy to be back on the court," Mirotic said on EuroLeague TV. "After joining a new team, you want to win and help your teammates. This is a huge victory and shows the character of the team. I was very happy to be able to help because I only joined the team a few days ago. The season is long, but the start is very important."