Monaco got closer to qualifying for the Euroleague basketball play-offs thanks to their very fine victory over the Greek team Olympiakos (92-72), Wednesday March 23, in their Gaston- Doctor.
With 12 wins in 25 games, the players of Le Rocher cling to the Top 8 of the Euroleague and, even if all the teams have not played the same number of games, they have every chance of staying there. play-offs. For this, the Roca Team will have to repeat the superb collective performance achieved against Olympiakos. And this, from Friday (7 p.m.) against the Spaniards of Baskonia Vitoria, who, for their part, still have a tiny chance of qualifying.
Led by a great Mike James (25 points, including 15 three-pointers) and authors of a very high intensity defensive game, Sasa Obradovic’s men showed that they feared no one in the competition. With 8 wins in their last 11 games, they are only beaten by the great Barça over this period.
However, if Olympiakos is already qualified for the play-offs, it is not for nothing. Collective and powerful, especially in the racket with French pivot Moustapha Fall (8 points in the first quarter and 18 in the end), coach Georgios Bartzokas’ team raced in the lead for ten minutes (19- 22), despite two nice, award-winning baskets from Mike James. Out of the blue, under the impetus of the latter, but especially of Paris Lee, the Monegasques suffocated their opponents until half-time (48-31).
Despite a great ability to react in the 3rd quarter, Olympiakos never managed to pick up. Monaco, in Europe, even won this period (23-20) and suppressed its opponent in the last (21-21) to clinch a prestigious victory of 20 points.