The Roca Team have won the Leaders Cup, defeating Le Mans Sarthe Basket 103-79 in the final at the Futuroscope Arena in Poitiers.
It was sweet revenge for Monaco, who had lost to Le Mans in the same fixture last year. Now, under the guidance of Vassilis Spanoulis, they were dominant right from the start.
The first quarter was smooth throughout. Mike James set the tone early, contributing nine points in the opening four minutes, while Elie Okobo tested Le Man’s defence at every level, and Monaco led 30-12 at the end of it.
Le Mans managed a brief response in the second quarter through Trevor Hudgins and Johnny Berhanemeskel, prompting Spanoulis to call a timeout. Monaco steadied and went into half-time with a commanding 53-40 advantage.
Third quarter decided the game
The third quarter put the game beyond doubt. Jaron Blossomgame hit three three-pointers in five minutes, and Daniel Theis was a constant presence inside, drawing fouls and scoring with ease. Monaco’s lead grew towards 20 points before Spanoulis brought Nikola Mirotic into the five position to close out the quarter.
The final quarter was a formality. Okobo opened it with a dunk and continued to dictate play throughout. Nemanja Nedovic, subdued for much of the weekend, finally found his range from three, and Mirotic added a late contribution. Le Mans collected a series of technical fouls as frustration set in, but at that point, the outcome had long been decided.
Okobo led all scorers with 19 points. Blossomgame finished with 17, Theis with 15 and Alpha Diallo with 14 off the bench. James rounded off a fine all-round display with 12. For Le Mans, Berhanemeskel’s 22 points stood as the sole bright spot on a difficult evening.
Speaking after the final whistle, Theis reflected on their collective effort. “The defence was enormous, and that allowed us to score more freely in attack,” he said. “We know Le Mans never give up, and we gave everything to come out on top.”
Playmaker Matthew Strazel shared the same sentiment. “Life gave us another chance against Le Mans in the Leaders Cup final,” he said. “With this win, we prove than we learn from our mistakes.”
Monaco now turn their attention back to the EuroLeague and the French championship, with this title providing them a boost of confidence ahead of a demanding run-in
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Main photo credit: AS Monaco Basket