2023-05-10 23:22:05
In the Gaston-Médecin room, renovated only a few months ago to accommodate the future exploits of AS Monaco basketball players, we never stop singing. It must be said that the feat was expected for a very long time.
This Wednesday, Monaco became the first French representative qualified for the Final Four of the Euroleague basketball since Villeurbanne in 1997 after winning the support match of their quarter-final against Maccabi Tel Aviv (97-86).
ASM, eliminated last year in the same match 5 in the hall of Olympiacos Piraeus, won the series three wins to two. She will meet the Greeks on May 19 (5 p.m.) in Kaunas (Lithuania) in the semi-finals of the most prestigious European basketball competition.
The Monegasque performance was first in the image of Mike James. American genius, sometimes so unpredictable, has shown the way to success. The Portland native scored 21 points (and 5 assists) in the first period, including 11 in the first 10 minutes. Thanks to him (among others), Sasa Obradovic’s men took off (41-33) in the middle of the second quarter.
When an obvious injury, forcing him to go to the locker room, reduced the performance of the American star, Elie Okobo took over (4 points and 3 assists in the last quarter). The third tip of the rear trident, Jordan Loyd, got the decisive fouls: twice three free throws in the last four minutes, much contested by Tel Aviv.
In front at the start of the last quarter, the Roca Team, losing its means, saw the six-time European champion pass in front of it (74-77). But it was said that Monaco would not let themselves be done in front of their molten public. Loyd takes out the scoring machine, Alpha Diallo and Elie Ekobo do the job. Tel Aviv only has her eyes to cry.
Under the eyes of Prince Albert II, ASM became the fifth club in the French Championship to reach the last four of the queen of European competitions. To find an Elite club – then still Pro A – at this stage of the C1, you have to go back to Asvel in 1997. The French football team was not yet world champion, Lionel Jospin, fan of basketball in front of the eternal, not yet Prime Minister. “I had just been born, it dates back, smiled Elie Okobo. We will try to continue to write history and to go as far as possible. »
The Roca Team has already made history, and can hold out some hope. Their next opponent in the semi-finals, Olympiakos, had to go through a fifth match against Fenerbahçe on Tuesday.
Last year, the Monegasques came close to crunching the Greeks. The Piraeus club had deprived them of the last four after a fiery fifth meeting in the misnamed Peace and Friendship stadium. This time, it will be played on a dry match in Kaunas, Lithuania, the same for the eventual final.
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