Basketball – Euroleague (H): Monaco begins the return phase with a victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv
Posted on December 29, 2021 at 9:09 p.m. – updated on December 30, 2021 at 12:08 a.m.
Aurélie SACCHELLI
Worn by his duo Donatas Motiejunas – Alpha Diallo (16 points each), Monaco won 82-76 against Maccabi Tel Aviv on the 18th day of the Euroleague and came back to the level of their evening opponent, in the 14th place.
For its last match of the year, the first of the return phase of the Euroleague, Monaco announced to win to pass a good (mini) truce, mission accomplished! Roca Team won 82-76 against Maccabi Tel Aviv, a team who, like them, are aiming for the Top 8 by the end of the regular season but find themselves in a soft stomach. Facing a team that had lost their last seven Euroleague games, Monaco signed a very solid second half after being trailed for much of the first. It was indeed the Israelis, generated by a huge Scottie Wilbekin, who finished with 31 points (5/9 to 3pts), who started the game best, but they never had more than five points in advance ( 22-27, 115th). Thanks to a big end of the quarter, and in particular a 3-point shot from Mike James, Monaco nevertheless managed to return to the locker room by leading the score (35-33).
The # Roca team ends the year in style with a superb victory 🆚 @MaccabitlvBC 👏 A great collective performance with Roca Boys receiving on both sides of the field 🔥 pic.twitter.com/s6c0GjLAyU
– AS Monaco Basket 🇲🇨 (@ASMonaco_Basket) December 29, 2021
Five Monegasques with at least 10 points
The Maccabi still led for 90 seconds at the start of the third quarter (37-68, 12th), but the Roca Team then took the game in hand. Carried by her duo Donatas Motiejunas – Alpha Diallo, who will finish with 16 points each, she was leading 56-49 at the end of the third quarter. The gap increased to +9 (62-53, 32nd), but the Maccabi managed to get back to a point (67-66, 36th). However, the resident of Betclic Elite did not crack in the money-time, on the contrary. Dwayne Bacon and Alpha Diallo gave some air to the Monegasques (73-66, 38th), then the Maccabi came back to -4 (78-74) with 23 seconds from the end, but Léo Westermann and Will Thomas sealed the Monegasque victory to the Frankish Lancers. In the end, five Monegasques end with at least 10 points in this victory, which allows them to return to equality with their evening opponent (7 wins – 11 losses), two wins from 8th place. On the next day, January 7, Monaco will go to the ASVEL floor.
Monegasque markers: Lee (6), Bacon (11), Westermann (10), Thomas (7), Diallo (16), Motiejunas (16), Hall (4), James (12)
