Close to the feat two days ago on the floor of Real Madrid (86-94), AS Monaco lost after an extension against Barça (85-81 AD). If the Principality’s club has once again shown that it can compete with the best, it can harbor regrets.

For its second meeting with the Euroleague, the Gaston-Médecin room was full when it was time to welcome one of the leaders of the competition (three wins-zero defeats), European monument, crowned twice and finalist of the ‘edition 2020. Giant flag, red and white scarves outing, the Monegasques salivated in advance, ready to take full eyes in front of a European evening which will be little by little habitual for them this season.

Shortly beaten in Madrid on Wednesday after two initial victories against Panathinaikos at home and among the Russians of Kazan, Monaco had gone to win an extension after a meeting that could not be more hung and which they took in broad outline. If the extension had smiled on Mitrovic’s soldiers in Russia against Kazan, this time, against Barça, it was cruel (85-81 AD).

Imperturbable at the start of the meeting

Without complex, as since the start of its European campaign, AS Monaco opened the ball with Donatias Motiejunas under the circle followed by a Yakouba Ouattara with already hot hands, author of a three-point winner in the corner and a dunk pest within seconds (7-2). Nothing seemed to disturb the Roca Boys, stopped in their momentum at the start of the match by an electronic failure freezing the scoreboard and forcing the match to stop for a few minutes. Monaco was more than competing, carried at the end of the first quarter by Will Thomas and his pivotal shot at the end of possession followed by an encouraged shot allowing the Principality’s club to take eight lengths in advance then ten when Mike James , uncertain weather because hit in the ankle Wednesday in Madrid, came off the bench to send a love ball to Danta Hall (22-12).

Barça reacted in the second quarter via their leader Nick Calathes, skilful behind the line. Monegasque ball losses and rebound battles won brought the Catalans back in the race (30-28). In the hard, the ASM could then count on one more supporter, Prince Albert II entering the enclosure three minutes before the break: enough to attend the ola triggered by the Gaston-Médecin room. The moment chosen, too, by the prodigy Mike James to try a long-distance shoot and make a string, to put Monaco right before half-time (35-31).

A tough Barça

While FC Barcelona continued to get closer to ASM, the summer rookie turned on the air conditioning while crossing the Catalan camp to conclude in lay-up. Leo Westermann calmed his ex-partners with a shot behind the line and Monaco kept a gap on the scoreboard (44-38). The visitors were not letting go and were only a small point when (46-45) when Donta Hall by concluded an alley-oop a still phenomenal dunk as the Alabama native climbs to the circle. Brandon Davies, untenable, answered him directly by setting the counters to zero before Barça took the lead for the very first time in the match one minute from the end of the third quarter on an off-center shot and signed Rolands Smith (52-54) . It was following a last basket granted after video assistance that the Spaniards would then spend the last ten minutes (54-56).

Gaston-Médecin was under pressure, annoyed by some refereeing decisions but still confident of Monaco more present on the rebound. Success in the shoot, however, eluded the Principality club and if on one side Jerry Boutsiele missed the target on the throws (0/2), the Barcelona and ex-Chicago Bulls player Nikola Mitrovic was successful in the racket. Boutsiele then rectified the shot on the following occasion (2/2) and Léo Westermann in the corner managed to Monaco to stay in the game five minutes from the end of the match (61-64).

A white-hot public

The suspense became unbearable, Gaston-Médecin was tense like the official platform where President Sergey Dyadechko and Executive Director Oleksiy Yefimov stood up as one man to challenge a whistle. It was then for a shoot by Mike James that the room rose because Monaco took the lead again. The public then exploded on a new award-winning shot from Léo Westermann (68-66) and as basketball is a master at passing through all the states in a few seconds, Monaco first thinks to count on its lucky star when Nick Calathes missed a shot easy but was empty by a Westermann air-ball.

The Roca Boys threw their last strength into battle, pushed by a standing audience. Will Thomas captured a precious rebound, Mike James returned his throws (2/2). Seventeen seconds on the clock, the ASM led by only a small point and had the last possession. Calathes, at fault on Léo Westermann, offered his ex-teammate the opportunity to return his two launchers but the Alsatian missed one giving Barça the opportunity to remember the score (75-75). Three seconds to play, Westermann seeks Mike James for the winning ball but the American, in a hurry, does not seek the right angle of fire. Extension.

More efficient Catalans in extra time

A week ago, Monaco had an extended match in Kazan (88-80 AD) while for its part, Barcelona also had to extend their meeting against Olympiacos two days ago to get rid of the Greeks (79- 78 a) The bodies put to the test, the attempts ended less and less in the nets and if Barça took the advantage at the very start of extra time, Monaco continued to fight in the racket. On the throwing line, Mike James struggled to get full card (2/3) but stole, to catch up, a ball in the hands of Brandon Davies. A ball wasted by a whistled market against Alpha Diallo (81-83). While Nick Calathes was missing his last cartridge, Zvezdan Mitrovic’s men could still believe it but the Spaniards recovered the rebound and folded the match (81-85).