AS Monaco Basket Triumphs at Home Against Panathinaikos (92-84). The Monegasques secured a convincing victory, their second in less than 48 hours.
It was the second Greek team of the week for AS Monaco Basket. This Friday evening, the Roca Team hosted Panathinaikos for the 8th round of the Euroleague. After their great victory against Olympiakos just 24 hours earlier, Vassilis Spanoulis’s men wanted to confirm their success.
In a packed Gaston Médecin arena, the Monegasques started their game very well. Building on their victory in Piraeus, the players from the Principality dictated the game in the early stages. This was a situation too rarely seen by the Roca Team this season, with several sluggish starts.
Very offensive, Mike James’s teammates finished this first quarter leading on the scoreboard (27-20). The Monegasques outperformed the Greeks in all aspects of the game, except for offensive rebounds. Alpha Diallo, continuing his performance from Wednesday, stood out in these first ten minutes, scoring seven points.
An Ideal First Half
At the start of the second quarter, Mike James guided his team. The American point guard, who was quiet in the first act with no points scored, began scoring baskets. In total, he scored ten points during this quarter.
On the collective front, the Roca Team continued their excellent performance. Vassilis Spanoulis’s players delivered, potentially, their best first half since the start of the Euroleague season. At halftime, the Roca Team had built a nine-point lead (50-41). The Monegasques had the upper hand over their opponents for the evening but needed to maintain their focus in the second half to avoid major regrets.
A Minor Scare but the Roca Team Pulls Away
The Greeks from Panathinaikos were not willing to back down after a disappointing first half. They came out strong after the break to close the gap as quickly as possible. Ergin Ataman’s men woke up and came within just two points of the Monegasques (52-50).
However, the Roca Team was on fire that night! They didn’t doubt and created a new gap with their evening opponents. The players from the Principality developed their game and pulled away with a twelve-point lead (65-53). The Greeks managed to reduce the gap and ended the quarter trailing the Principality club by ten points (68-58).
A Second Prestigious Victory in Two Days
This time, AS Monaco Basket didn’t want to be caught off guard. The Roca Team players stayed focused in the initial moments of this last act. They put the Panathinaikos players under severe pressure. They extended their lead to over 21 points in their favor.
The Monegasques triumphed 92 to 84 on their home court. A minor end-of-match relaxation without consequence. The Roca Team secured a second prestigious victory, once again against a Greek team. A superb week for Elie Okobo’s teammates, which is not over yet.
Indeed, there is one last match this Sunday, on Limoges’s court, in the Betclic Élite. In the Euroleague, the next stage will be next Thursday, away against Maccabi Tel-Aviv. This match is relocated to Belgrade due to geopolitical reasons.
