AS Monaco Basketball defeats Strasbourg 90 to 89. The Monegasques reach the Leaders Cup semi-finals despite a huge scare at the end of the match.
The Roca Team nearly got knocked out of this Leaders Cup! Vassilis Spanoulis’ men gave themselves quite a fright this afternoon against Strasbourg. Despite a catastrophic start to the match and a tricky end to the game, it was indeed the Monegasques who won 90 to 89.
AS Monaco Basketball are finding their form again and want to follow up against Strasbourg in this Leaders Cup quarter-final. A match that takes place at the Arena Futuroscope. The Roca Team arrive with confidence for this competition, with four victories in a row. Facing them, the Strasbourg team is also on a good run (seven wins in their last nine matches), despite an elimination in the French Cup against Le Mans.
A catastrophic start to the match for the Roca Team
The Roca Team absolutely did not come into this match well. Mike James’ teammates quickly fell behind in the score, conceding a 16-4 run in five minutes of play. The gap widens and reaches a 16-point lead for Strasbourg (11-27). Vassilis Spanoulis’ men completely missed this first quarter, and will have to show a completely different face (16-27).
The Monegasques are below 30% shooting accuracy in this first quarter. Against them, the Alsatians are hot from three-point range. Strasbourg finishes the quarter with a 6/10 from behind the arc. The Rock players need to show more desire and intensity in this game to reverse the trend.
The Roca Team reverses the trend
AS Monaco Basketball must show a completely different face! The Monegasques are more aggressive and more accurate in front of the basket. To this is added the Alsatian inaccuracy, which finds far fewer shooting opportunities. The Strasbourg team shows a poor 25% shooting, with only 3/14 from three-point range.
It is now the Monegasque team that is dictating play. They put Strasbourg in great difficulty, who commit up to nine fouls in this quarter. The score gap goes from minus nine to plus fifteen in favor of Vassilis Spanoulis’ men. The Alsatians regain their shooting accuracy at the end of the quarter and reduce the gap to nine points (51-42).
The Roca Team profits from the opponent’s lack of discipline
After halftime, the shooting percentage of both teams is better. A bit more accuracy and more excitement. The Alsatians now pose more problems in the paint. They attempted only three three-pointers. But Monaco maintains its lead, profiting from the opponent’s indiscipline. The Strasbourg team committed eight fouls during this quarter. They also lost, for the rest of the match, Nelly Joseph, who had five fouls.
The Roca Team extended the gap to over 18 points. Once again in this match, the Strasbourgeois do not give up and come back to within 12 points (75-63). End-of-quarter moments that are playing tricks on the Principality’s team this afternoon.
The Roca Team nearly threw it all away
If Monaco supporters wanted their team to finish this match comfortably, the reality is quite different. The Roca Team does not make all the necessary efforts and succumbs to Strasbourg’s law. The Alsatians show realism in front of the basket. An efficiency allowing Janis Gailitis’ men to come back into the game and believe in a final victory.
The Monegasques are dominated on the boards. A lack of aggressiveness that allows Strasbourg to be ahead in the score (84-86) with just over two minutes left in this game. In the closing moments, Strasbourg loses two more players to five personal fouls.
In a breathtaking finish, the Roca Team got through as Strasbourg had a match ball. AS Monaco Basketball wins 90 to 89. A victory that allows the Principality club to reach the Leaders Cup semi-finals. The next match will take place tomorrow, Saturday, February 21 at 6:30 PM, against Cholet.
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