Βy Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Mike James and Donatas Motiejunas with 17 points each led Monaco to a crucial 84-75 road win over LDLC ASVEL, even if James wasn’t used in the last period.
It’s an important result for the winners who are tied with Barcelona at 8-3 in the second spot of the Turkish EuroLeague standings and also a message against the defending French champions.
“We started playing better defense in the end and our offense just came naturally”, said Motiejunas after the final buzzer. “However, this is just one game, this is not revenge for the French league title, revenge will be winning the last game of the season”.
The key was not only defense but also offensive rebounds, with Monaco getting 17 against just five by ASVEL and dictating the tempo of the game. Jordan Loyd added 11 points for Monaco.
“I think we did a big job in rebounds and defense”, added James. “We still have a long way to go, we have to keep getting ready every day, being second right now doesn’t mean much”.
On the other hand, the hosts didn’t have the same firepower on the offensive end with David Lighty and Retin Obasohan being the top scorers with 13 points each and Nando De Colo scoring just two points in 20 minutes of action.
Still, it’s an understatement to write that for 30 minutes the game was close. Monaco momentarily led by six (39-33) while the score was tied after the end of the first (20-20), the second (45-45), and the third period (60-60).
However, the guests started the last period also with a 6-0 run (66-60) and that was the start of Monaco creating a 12-point distance (77-65) after a three by Elie Okobo and a shot by Donta Hall with 3.35 left in the game.
“You can’t have 20 turnovers in the game and those four minutes at the start of the last period hurt us”, admitted ASVEL coach TJ Parker.
The was no comeback for ASVEL after that with the losing side being stuck at the bottom of the standings with a 3-8 record.
For Monaco, the only bad piece of news is that John Brown left the game on a stretcher after sacrificing his body to get a charge in the closing seconds. “I hope it’s not something serious, he is a very important player for our rotation”, Monaco coach Sasa Obradovic said.