Monaco back … in pain
Beaten at home by Barcelona during the week when it remained on three victories in the competition, including seven in all competitions, Monaco resumed its march forward, this Friday during the 14th day by offering a 10th victory (92 -89), at home at the expense of the last Alba Berlin, which caused problems for the “Roca Team” until the end, before the delivery signed Elie Okobo.
It took more than a hitch to put the whole beautiful house of Monegasque cards on the ground. Surprised last Wednesday (69-63) by Barcelona in the Principality, Monaco had the opportunity to immediately raise their heads, Friday again at home against the last Alba Berlin, the calendar having reserved a second match in a row on the floor from their Gaston-Médecin room to the players of Sasa Obradovic. They did not let it pass and were able to resume their march forward by winning at the expense of the red lantern a tenth victory this season in the competition, and this forty-eight hours after biting the dust on the Rock against the Catalans while the vice-champions of France remained on three victories in a row in the Euroleague and had not lost for seven games. The “Roca Team” thus consolidates its place in the Top 3 alongside Barcelona, its executioner on Wednesday, and the leader Fenerbahçe, who all three have the same record at the end of this 15th day (10 wins – 4 losses) . However, contrary to what this confrontation with our representative might have suggested between the third in the standings and the dead last Germans who have only won three games this season and have not had a taste of success since October 19 last, Monaco had to fight until the very end of the meeting to get rid of the Berliners definitively.
Monaco trembled!
This team, which was eight points behind at the break (52-44), even came close to failing the hold-up in the Principality. Thus, while the “Roca Boys”, strongly jostled in the second half by Moado Lo (14 points) and his teammates, thought they had regained a sufficient lead thanks in particular to the excellent match of Alpha Diallo (17 points) to not no longer having to tremble in the face of the last, Alba managed to get back into contact and push the Monegasques to their last entrenchments. Fortunately, if Mike James (8 points, 6 assists) and his family scared each other until the last second, they finally had the last word, on a long distance shot from the house savior Elie Okobo (8 points). And two days after the defeat against the Catalans at home, how good is this tenth success!