By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
From 17 lead changes to AS Monaco reaching double-digit distance and blowing out Virtus Segafredo Bologna, 81-68, in Salle Gaston Medecin Thursday.
Elie Okobo went for 21 points, five rebounds, five assists, and two steals en route to a game-high PIR of 27. “We fought against a great team. They had a lot of weapons but we were able to contest and make it difficult for them and protect the home court,” he highlighted the team defense following the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season Round 29 affair.
Far from a great shooting night for the team coached by Sasa Obradovic, dominating the boards was the deciding factor. Pulling down 39 rebounds, including 16 in the offense for second chances attached to many conversions to points, nearly doubled the total of the visitors at 24. Monaco actually had more rebounds on the defensive end of the opponents for most of the game.
“The way we won the game was amazing. The way we played defense in some periods, especially in the second half, was really at the top level,” the winning tactician reacted to the fourth EuroLeague win in a row, “We continue to dream big. We are now closer to the Playoffs.”
In an upgraded role, Jordan Loyd delivered 15 points with 5/11 field goals, including 3/6 from beyond the arc. “Offensively, we struggled a little bit. But defensively, everybody stepped up. We had a great defensive gameplan,” described the 29-year-old combo guard, a 2019 NBA champion working under then Toronto Raptors assistant coach and current Virtus Bologna boss Sergio Scariolo.
Donta Hall paired 13 points with seven rebounds and Donatas Motiejunas scored 12 points behind 5/6 field goals in two more double-digit PIR efforts. More similar solid showings, John Brown III and Alpha Diallo packing 13 and 12 PIR, respectively.
Banking in a sixth consecutive win across all competitions, Monaco went up to 19-10 at the continental level. The biggest chunk of success was generated at home with twelve wins in 15 games in the Principality on the French Riviera.
Scariolo’s side falling to 13-16 can be an early sign of missing the Playoffs. The Bologna outfit enjoyed multiple leads, but never stretched past a two-possession advantage. It was a defensive battle and a couple of scoring droughts covering large chunks of the middle quarters shifted momentum and confidence to Monaco.
“This is probably the most athletic team of the whole competition,” noted the Italian mastermind, “You need to shoot well from the outside. It is quite hard to score in the paint, especially for a team like ours. We had many, many good looks. Unfortunately, our percentages were mediocre.”
Jordan Mickey, a former teammate of Loyd at Zenit, scored a team-high 14 points. Awudu Abass followed 12 points with 4/4 triples. Milos Teodosic combined his ten points with a game-high eight assists to boost the average of 5.9 assists per contest ranking third in the league.
Mike James was absent
Ranking fifth in points per game this season in Europe’s premier club continental competition, Mike James was sidelined with a team-imposed suspension for violating internal club rules. Later reported as the reason for the team’s decision, he partied with former teammate and current Panathinaikos star Dwayne Bacon. He scored in double-digits over ten straight EuroLeague showings.
Also out of Monaco’s lineup was Yoan Makoundou after logging six appearances earlier in the 2022-23 season. On the injury list of the visitors, Isaia Cordinier, Leo Menalo, Gora Camara, and Semi Ojeleye were all sidelined.
Big weekend for Monaco and Virtus
On to Trelaze, La Roca Team will play one or possibly two games this weekend. Potentially defeating Elan Bearnais Pau-Lacq-Orthez in the Quarterfinals of the French Cup Saturday would set up a Semifinals matchup Sunday. Aiming to improve the league-high 19-4 in France’s Betclic Elite LNB Pro A, it will then focus to host ESSM Le Portel Tuesday before returning to EuroLeague and welcoming Valencia in Fontvieille next Friday.
A key weekend coming up for the team based in Bologna as well. One way or another to break the tie on top of Italy’s LBA Serie A standings with EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, it will visit Ettore Messina’s side Sunday. Back home to take on Real Madrid shapes EuroLeague’s Round 30 fixture Friday.
Photo Credit: EuroleagueBasketball.net