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With two seconds remaining in the game between AS Monaco and ALBA Berlin, Elie Okobo got rid of Maodo Lo’s defense and dropped his opponent on the floor with a nasty dribble to beat the buzzer from the 3-point line and hand his team an 92 – 89 win.
“It was supposed to be a one-on-one play, but there are guarding Mike [James] one-on-one, but against me, they were in a zone, so I was trying to look for Jaron [Blossomgame] at the corner,” Okobo said. “He gave me the ball back and I was able to shoot the three.”
Thanks to Okobo’s bucket, Monaco bounced back from the home loss to Barcelona and went up 10 – 4 in the standings. ALBA, that almost achieved a huge upset, is now 3-11 after suffering its 11th straight defeat.
Alpha Diallo led Monaco overall with a season-high 20 points plus four assists. Jaron Blossongame dropped 16 points, Donta Hall and Donatas Motiejunas contributed 10 points apiece, Okobo scored 12 while Mike James finished with eight points, seven assists and seven rebounds.
Tim Schneider (15 points), Johannes Thiemman (14 points, six rebounds), Ben Lammers (14 points, six rebounds) and Tamir Blatt (14 points, five assists) scored in double figures for ALBA. The German side was down 77 – 67 early in the fourth quarter but erased that margin quickly to go up 79 – 80 with five minutes to play.
“I am very happy with the effort of the players, with the spirit, and we have to build from this,” ALBA coach Israel Gonzalez said. “I know it is difficult after these defeats, but we are together and this is our good.”
Monaco retook the lead and Donta Hall put the hosts ahead 89 – 86 with a 1:01 remaining. Ben Lammers tied the score at 89 before Okobo’s decisive play.
“They did a 40-minute zone [defense], which is unusual in the EuroLeague,” Monaco coach Sasa Obradovic said. “Honestly, you never see this. In some moments, we were attacking well. In some moments, not so good. In the end, some decisions [were] yes and no, but maybe the best scenario to win the game, having a lead and in the end with the buzzer-beater to win… I think everything should be happy, especially with the won game. That was plan, for this guy [Elie Okobo] to shoot, and he scored.”