This Sunday afternoon, the Roca Team defeated Paris Basketball (80-74) at the end of a very closely contested game. The Monegasque players relied on high intensity and strong defense to thwart the Parisian plans. The two teams will play a Game 5 on Tuesday night.
Fourth match between the Roca Team and Paris Basketball. After having won Game 3 on Friday evening, Monaco had to replicate their strong physical performance to beat Tiago Splitter‘s men again. And above all, take this great final to a Game 5. The Monegasques are still without their American point guard Mike James. Mam Jaiteh, Alpha Diallo, Matthew Strazel, Terry Tarpey, and Elie Okobo made up the starting five for the Roca Team.
A competitive first half
The surprise from Vassilis Spanoulis was starting Terry Tarpey in the Monegasque lineup. And what a start from the French forward, with a significant impact. Monaco applied intensity, both in defense and especially in attack. The shots were rewarded, and the Roca Team took the lead in the first quarter. Even though Paris responded: TJ Shorts‘ teammates relied on their quick play to challenge the Monegasques.
The intensity of the game was crazy: both teams battled for rebounds and ran the full length of the court. Nothing was left to chance. Many contacts in the first ten minutes. The Monaco players did not hesitate to engage physically with their opponents, the duel was physical. At the end of the first quarter, the Roca Team led (20-16).
In the second quarter, the commitment from both teams did not diminish. From the first minutes, after a long stoppage, Alpha Diallo received an unsportsmanlike foul after stepping on TJ Shorts‘ foot. The tension was at its peak, the referees were called upon for each action. By the end of the first half, there were already twenty fouls in the game. The two teams were neck and neck. And Monaco lost their way a bit in the last seconds, with Spanoulis getting a technical foul. When the referees sent Monaco and Paris to the locker rooms, the advantage was Parisian: (40-43).
Indecisive third quarter
As soon as they returned from the locker rooms, the battle resumed. And with as much intensity as ever. The trench warfare continued for both teams. But Paris stayed ahead. Tiago Splitter‘s men adjusted their game and put the Monegasques in significant difficulty.
Both teams defended well. They exchanged blows evenly. In the last minute, Nadir Hifi hurt Monaco with a two-point shot distancing the Monégasques. But this was countered by the resilience of Matthew Strazel, who hit a three-point shot at the buzzer. Bringing the Roca Team back to within one point (55-56). The suspense was unbearable before the final ten minutes of the game.
Last act under tension
The Paris Basketball as champions of France or a decisive fifth game in the capital next Tuesday? That was the stake of this last quarter at Gaston Médecin. And in this last quarter, everything ignited: a dunk by Yakuba Ouattara, a response from Matthew Strazel with two three-point shots. The arena was in a frenzy. The Roca Team led by seven points with four minutes remaining in the game (68-61). A first gap was created.
Yet, Paris quickly closed back to three points. The money time began. Monaco’s defensive presence was crucial in those last seconds. Matthew Strazel and his teammates gave it their all to distance themselves from the Parisians. With just over a minute to go, the lead for the Roca Team was eight points. A Game 5 seemed imminent. Monaco ran down the clock, causing the Brazilian coach of Paris Basketball to lose his composure: a second technical foul and ejection for the final seconds. The players of Vassilis Spanoulis made the Parisians crack. Matthew Strazel closed out the game with two free throws. Final score: (80-74).
“Winning today to lose in two days achieves nothing. We are a team that plays better when we’re backed into a corner, but now we must let our experience speak. I hope to continue playing like this in Game 5,” said Matthew Strazel. The MVP of the game, Elie Okobo (nineteen points), also praised the team’s resilience. “Much more intensity, successful shooting. We kept a cool head and the crowd pushed us. I saw the confetti up close in the stands, and I didn’t like it. I look forward to playing this game at the Adidas Arena,” he explained.
Tune in on Tuesday, June 24 at 8:30 PM for Game 5 of this final, to find out who will be crowned the French champion this season. Everything will be played out away for the Monegasques.
