By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Mike James scored a game-high 25 points on an efficient 7 – 10 from the field to lead AS Monaco to a 92 – 72 rout over Olympiacos Piraeus at home. The Monegasque side took another step in its effort to make the playoffs while getting some payback from its opponents for an ugly first-leg loss on the road.
This was the first loss for already playoffs-bound Olympiacos after two straight wins. The Reds led 19 – 22 at the end of the first period but Monaco was the boss for the rest of the match, starting from the second quarter.
Monaco made an 11-0 run and overpowered Olympiacos 29 – 9 through 10 minutes to close halftime up 48 – 31. Sasha Obradovic’s players were particularly effective from the 3-point line, finishing the first half with 8 – 10.
Olympiacos reacted a bit after the break to close the margin at 10 (50 – 40) but Monaco went ahead by 20 points once more and widened the gap further in the fourth period to even lead 27, 88 – 61 with three minutes remaining.
Dwayne Bacon contributed 15 points plus five rebounds to Monaco’s win, Paris Lee posted 13 points and five assists while Donta Hall finished with 12 points.
Moustapha Fall (18 points, six rebounds), Sasha Vezenkov (18 points) and Tyler Dorsey (15 points) scored in double figures for Olympiacos.
It is not a big disappointment. In the EuroLeague, if you don’t play well, you can lose everywhere,” Olympiacos coach Giorgos Bartzokas said. “Monaco played excellent, they had really high percentages. We did not play well. I can say we disappeared from the court after the first quarter, so we deserved to lose.”
The fight continues
It was quite the performance against a strong opponent but Monaco still has some battles to win until that postseason spot is clinched. And this is why coach Sasa Obradovic wants his players to leave this game behind quickly.
“It was extremely good,” Obadovic said. “After the game against Efes, we presented ourselves again in the best possible way beating the team that is one of the top favorites. The way we played the game all 40 minutes, the way we stayed focused, with great physicality and energy, not giving their key players any chance to find their rhythm, I can only say I am extremely happy with this win. And we need to forget it as fast as possible, we have another game in two days.”