The Roca Team falls on the Bologna court (73-77). A logical defeat for a team that was trailing the score throughout the match, mainly due to an insufficient shooting percentage.
This Wednesday evening, AS Monaco Basket was away on the court of Virtus Bologna, in the Euroleague, a week after their success in Milan, during the last game day. In the meantime, the Monegasques secured a win in Paris, during the Betclic Élite showdown. The Roca Team enters a packed week with great confidence, having three matches scheduled.
A neck-and-neck first quarter
In the heated atmosphere of the Segafredo Arena, Virtus Bologna tries to ignite the match from the start. The Italians make their first two three-point attempts, while the Monegasques have yet to score any points. As against Paris, the players of Vassilis Spanoulis do not panic and immediately tie the score (6-6).
The first quarter was, at times, somewhat sluggish for both teams. Some easy or open baskets are completely missed. The Bolognese barely reach 53% shooting, compared to 43% for the Monegasques. Dusko Ivanovic’s men demonstrate a certain level of aggression, pushing them, after five minutes of play, into the penalty. Both teams remain neck and neck (19-19).
A festival of missed shots… at two points
This second quarter was most atypical. The three-point shooting percentages of both teams are higher than the two-point shooting percentages. The players on the court present hard and compact defenses in the paint, explaining the low two-point shooting percentages (25% for the Italians and 30% for the Monegasques).
However, these defensive strategies create a lot of space for three-point shots, often with a clear field. Both teams are shooting over 40% in this area of the game. On the scoreboard, both formations remain close, with the largest gap in this quarter being a five-point lead for Bologna. The Roca Team goes to the locker room with a slight deficit (34-37).
The Roca Team trails the score
Returning from the locker room, the pace of the game remains the same. There are still many missed shots. The Monegasques leave an unpleasant impression, as this Bologna team fails to close out the match. A spark from the Roca Team could allow them to take the lead and even widen the gap. For now, this is not happening for the players from the Principality.
This situation could not last forever, and the Italians make baskets consecutively. Dusko Ivanovic’s players had up to a nine-point lead in this third quarter (48-57). The Roca Team manages to limit the damage, reducing the gap to six points before the last ten minutes (53-59).
A crazy end to the match
AS Monaco Basket starts this last quarter in the worst possible way. Elie Okobo’s teammates score their first point in this quarter after three minutes of play. Meanwhile, the Virtus Bologna players realize there is a great opportunity tonight, especially in front of their home crowd. The Italians widen their lead to 13 points.
As against Chalon, the Roca Team has not said its last word. Despite struggling throughout the match, AS Monaco Basket makes a thrilling end to the game. Vassilis Spanoulis’s players come back to within just three points with what seems to be the last possession. A comeback that once again is insufficient, and the Roca Team is defeated (73-77). AS Monaco Basket now has a record of two wins and two losses in this Euroleague.
The next appointment for the Roca Team is this Friday evening at Gaston Médecin, with the reception of the Spaniards from Valencia. The Monegasques will finish their week on the court of ASVEL this Sunday evening.
