AS Monaco Basket triumphed over Boulazac (92-85). A victory forged in the last quarter thanks to a great performance by Élie Okobo.
This Sunday afternoon, the Roca Team hosted the newcomer to the Betclic Élite, Boulazac, at Gaston Médecin. After this week’s defeat against Hapoel Tel-Aviv, AS Monaco Basket needed to bounce back against an already familiar opponent. Indeed, the two teams faced off during the semi-final of the SuperCup earlier in the season, a match which ended in a victory for the club from the Principality.
A first quarter all about management
AS Monaco Basket started the match timidly. The Monegasques did not push too hard against a valiant Boulazac team. Vassilis Spanoulis rotated his lineup. Mike James was rested, and Nikola Mirotic started on the bench, notably.
Despite the timid start from the Monegasque team, Elie Okobo’s teammates did not underestimate their opponent. They stayed focused and finished the first ten minutes ahead on the scoreboard (27-24). A fast-paced first quarter with very few stoppages.
The Roca Team trailing at halftime
In a very quiet Gaston Médecin arena, the Roca Team gradually fell asleep. Vassilis Spanoulis’s players relapsed into their bad habits. They were too lax on defense and allowed Boulazac to stay in the game. The Boulazac players even took advantage to move ahead in the score.
Grabbing coach Vassilis Spanoulis’s irritation, he used a timeout to express his frustration to the players regarding this situation. Once again this season, AS Monaco Basket was overmatched in rebounds. The Monegasques collected 14 rebounds against 19 for their opponent in this first half.
A collective letdown allowed Boulazac to finish the first half in the lead (44-46).
A closely contested game
In this third quarter, Boulazac was determined to make a significant impact on the Monegasque court. On their side, the Roca Team aimed to secure their first home win this season in the championship.
AS Monaco Basket managed to slightly take the lead by the end of the third quarter (70-65). The players from the Rock handled the ball more effectively. In contrast, Boulazac faced more challenges, losing possession three times during this third act. The Monegasques were not flawless, committing too many fouls, nine in this quarter.
The Roca Team asserts the hierarchy
AS Monaco Basket wanted to avoid any late-game scares and conclude the match calmly. Vassilis Spanoulis’s players accelerated and Boulazac found themselves, after two and a half minutes, in foul trouble. The Roca Team distinguished itself and moved towards victory.
The players from the Rock asserted the hierarchy and triumphed over the newcomer (92-85). Élie Okobo, with his 23 points, was a significant contributor to this success. The first home victory of the season in Betclic Élite for Vassilis Spanoulis’s players.
A new week with three matches awaits the Roca Team. Two Greek teams to start with, featuring an away game against Olympiakos (Wednesday at 8:15 PM) and a home match against Panathinaikos (Friday at 7 PM). The week will end in Limoges on Sunday, for the sixth day of Betclic Élite.
