Euroleague: Monaco yields at home against Zénit Saint-Petersburg
Two days after its victory in Lithuania, Monaco returned to its Gaston-Médecin room for the reception of Zénit Saint-Pétersbourg this Friday evening. If the Roca Team will succeed in the hold-up after a catastrophic start, the Russians, very effective at 3-points (13/25), ultimately prepared for a sixth defeat in seven matches against the Monegasques (74-85).
The joy will therefore have been short-lived. Barely 48 hours after their snatch victory in extra time on Zalgiris Kaunas, the Roca Boys fell back to defeat in the Euroleague, losing to Zenit Saint Petersburg (74-85). More accustomed to European games, the Russian club leaves France with two victories, he who had planned the ASVEL Wednesday night.
For its part, the Roca Team initially believed to sink from the start of the meeting, facing the Russians who generated an almost perfect start. They passed a 14-4 in the first five minutes, while the premises seemed overwhelmed in all areas of the game. If the entries of Donta Hall and Dwayne Bacon good, as often, the Zenit would ignite behind the arc with 6 3-point shots scored on 7 attempts in the first quarter! Difficult to follow for the Monegasques, who were struggling to return their shots. For his first at home since his return earlier this week, Sasa Obradovic was already feeling the lead after 10 minutes of play (14-31).
But it was without counting on the capacity of its workforce to go up the gaps, and Monaco’s reaction was going to be immediate. From one quarter to the next, the roles were reversed and the protégés of Coach Sasa took the game on their own: more rapidity, defense and long-distance shots which finally returned to respond to the Russians with a 29 -14 in the second act. 17 points away, Zenit Saint Petersburg had only 2 when it came to the locker room (43-45, 20th).
A heist aborted by Jordan Loyd
After an eventful first half, the match became close again and the debates were balanced. We then saw a game over, with more faults and a drop in overall skill. Note in this 3rd quarter the good passage of Danilo Andjusic and Will Thomas in defense, he who found this evening these former teammates of Zénit. The score did not change much in this round, with a 14-11 in favor of Roca Team who were now in the lead for the first time in the match (57-56, 30th).
But with such a weak lead, Monaco could not have a quiet end to the game. The Russians woke up and regained their dominance in the first quarter, notably thanks to their long distance shots. They were also in front with a 3-point from Billy Baron (64-67, 35th), who will end the meeting with 19 points 5/8 behind the line. But the player that St. Petersburg could thank tonight is Jordan Loyd! Until recently, the American from Zenit scored 14 of his 20 points in the 4th quarter to give the Monegasques no chance to win this meeting at the finish.
At the final whistle, it was therefore the Russians who won (74-85), with three main players who fueled the scoring: Jordan Loyd (20 points to 5/5 to 3 points!), Billy Baron (19 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists) and Arturas Gudaitis (15 points, 7 rebounds). For Monaco, Dwayne Bacon tried to keep his team alive (21 points), but he lacked support in attack, with only one player over 10 points: Danilo Andjusic (15 points at 50% shooting). Despite the decisive pasts, Mike James had difficulty shooting (8 points to 3/10 shooting) and could not defeat his team in seven matches. While Zénit consolidates its place in the top 8 of the Euroleague by finishing the week 6th, Monaco plunges back to 14th place in the standings before receiving Limoges, in the league, this Sunday (5 p.m.).
Sasa Obradovic, AS Monaco coach: “The level of two players, Baron and Loyd, decided the match. We have to learn to play even more collectively, to know what to do at certain times. Sometimes it seemed like we didn’t have a plan. So we still have work to do on this. “
Xavi Pascual, Zenith Saint-Petersburg coach: “I am extremely happy, tonight my players were real fighters. Despite the fact that everything was difficult – Kulagin and Loyd were playing with fever, Mickey was out, Ponitka with his back-… I don’t know why we had so many problems but we played and fought as a team, and we have finally won. “
Boxscore AS Monaco – Zenith Saint-Petersburg / Euroleague standings
Photo credit: Billy Baron (Euroleague)