The Roca Team prevails against ASVEL 81 to 76 in the EuroLeague. A crucial victory in the final sprint of this EuroLeague. Elie Okobo once again played the savior.
The final moments were intense, but the victory is theirs! The Roca Boys gave themselves a scare but eventually won against ASVEL (81-76). After demonstrating control in the first 30 minutes, the Monégasque team almost saw the victory slip away. A highly valuable success for the continuation of the competition.
It’s time for the final sprint! AS Monaco Basket hosts ASVEL as part of the 36th day of the EuroLeague. The Roca Team is playing for its future in the competition. The club from the Rock is in 10th place in the standings before the match, which equates to the last spot for the play-in. Monaco is coming off a loss against Dubai in the previous matchday. ASVEL, the bottom team, has nothing left to play for in this EuroLeague.
A reduced squad and a lackluster start
A depleted lineup takes to the court for the Principality team. Daniel Theis, Nemanja Nedovic, and Terry Tarpey are absent for this match. Manuchar Markoishvili’s men can count on the return of Mike James. The American is quiet in these first ten minutes.
The offensive leader at the start of the game is Matthew Strazel. The Frenchman finishes the first act with 10 points and one assist. Despite a low 33% shooting success rate, the Roca Team leads by the end of the first quarter (22-21). The Roca Boys took advantage of Lyon’s indiscipline (seven fouls in the first quarter) to maintain the lead.Â
A Clinical Roca Team
After a first act with many misses in front of the basket, AS Monaco Basket improves its shooting accuracy. The Monégasque players are more clinical! During this second quarter, the Principality’s team boasts a 62.5% shooting success rate.
Elie Okobo is on fire tonight! In the first half, the French player recorded 8 points, five assists, and seven rebounds. The latter statistic reflects a collective momentum. Contrary to its usual performance, the Roca Team is dominant in rebounds over these first 20 minutes (23 rebounds to 18). The Monégasque team leads by 10 points on the scoreboard (46-36).
The gap remains, a scenario that benefits the Roca Team
Victory is almost mandatory to stay alive in this EuroLeague! The Monégasque team is well aware and maintains the gap. The players from the Rock struggle from long range (0/3 this quarter). Fortunately, they are more clinical in the paint and maintain a similar shooting success rate in the last quarter.
Monaco commits more turnovers than in the first half. The Roca Team records three in this quarter, compared to just one in the first 20 minutes. A situation of doubt and uncertainty that the Lyon players do not capitalize on to get back into the game. The gap remains at ten points in favor of the Monégasque team (64-54).
An essential victory and two finals to come for the Roca Team
The Roca Team gets a scare at the end of the match. ASVEL, led by Braian Angola (26 points) and Shaquille Harrison (22 points), comes within two points (76-74). Monaco trembled, but Elie Okobo came through. The French player hit a crucial three-pointer in the final moments of the game. The Principality club triumphs against ASVEL, 81 to 76. A victory achieved with controlled play in the first three quarters and intense final moments.
There are two EuroLeague matchdays remaining, which means two finals for the Roca Team! The first step will be hosting Barcelona on Friday (April 10). The last matchday will also take place at Gaston Médecin, against Hapoel Tel-Aviv (April 17). Between these two matches, there will be a trip to Bourg-en-Bresse in the Betclic Elite (April 12).
