By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
AS Monaco completed another step to securing homecourt advantage in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs.
Leading from start to finish and defeating Zalgiris, 69-66, illustrated the penultimate game of the Regular Season on Thursday.
Jumping to 22-11 clinched a berth in the Playoffs for the reigning Betclic Elite champions with homecourt advantage in the cards.
Mike James produced seven of his game-high 18 points in the fourth quarter, pushing for a third win in a row and 12th over 15 outings in the Salle Gaston Medecin. Putting up at least ten points in all of his 33 appearances this season, he went to the top of the all-time and the 2023-24 Regular Season lists of players with the most points.
Facing his former and hometown club, Donatas Motiejunas enjoyed a team-high performance index rating of 18 behind 14 points and seven rebounds. “A low-scoring game. A lot of missed shots. Hustle plays needed to be done. I am really proud of my team that we managed to grab most of those 50-50 balls. We were fighting, keeping defensive intensity,” said the 33-year-old center.
“Stick to the gameplan”
“We still have a long way to go. We have to keep our poise and trust each other. Stick to the gameplan,” John Brown III looked into the deeper stages of the continental campaign after piling up seven points, eight rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block.
“We did not expect an easy game. We found a way to win,” added head coach Sasa Obradovic, “The key part of the season is coming. We need to be at our best.”
Besides Terry Tarpey (left knee surgery), 28-year-old big Petr Cornelie was left out of the lineup. Mouhammadou Jaiteh, Kemba Walker, and Yakuba Ouattara stayed on the bench.
After two domestic home games against SLUC Nancy on Sunday and Limoges CSP on Tuesday, La Roca Team wraps up the EuroLeague’s Regular Season by hosting FC Bayern Munich on Thursday.
Arnas Butkevicius exits
Healthy scratches Nedas Montvila and Dovydas Butka, and Karolis Lukosiunas (back) were ruled out by Zalgiris for Round 33. Also, Arnas Butkevicius hurt his right ankle after an awkward landing late in the first half and did not return. However, Rolands Smits registered two points and two rebounds over eight minutes after sitting out three weeks.
A three-game winning streak was snapped in Fontvieille. Down to 14-19, Andrea Trinchieri’s side is on the brink of elimination. Keenan Evans went for 17 points in his 11th consecutive double-digit scoring showing but fell shy of an 11th straight double-digit PIR.
“Personality, to be able to play these kind of games, where everything is tougher, difficult, against great players,” Trinchieri replied to a question about what his side was lacking in Monaco, “We need to knock down open shots to win these kind of games.”
Team captain Edgaras Ulanovas netted his 200th EuroLeague three-pointer. At 1/4 for the evening, he added to an uncharacteristic poor performance from beyond the arc for the reigning league and cup champions of Lithuania.
In the finale of the Regular Season, Zalgiris welcomes Real Madrid in Kaunas on Thursday.
Photo Credit: EuroleagueBasketball.net