AS Monaco basketball responded to their recent disappointing displays with two dominant performances over the weekend, putting them back in contention on the European and domestic fronts.
The Roca team backed up their drubbing of Bayern Munich on Friday, with an even more comprehensive win over Cholet on Sunday.
Nearly 4,000 Monaco fans crammed into the Salle Gaston Médecin in Fontvieille for Friday’s fixture, and they didn’t have to wait long before their team hit the front. Leo Westermann, who was consistently finding himself in space on the left touchline, began the game in emphatic style, scoring the opening eight points of the match with 100% accuracy.
Will Thomas then got in on the act, firstly with a two pointer when he did well to manufacture space in a tight area and then find great accuracy with the shot on the spin. He then found himself with time outside the arc to accurately dispatch another three pointer for La Roca side.
Monaco had an unrelenting intensity, both in attack and in defence, that went unmatched throughout the game. Having won the first quarter 27-20, they pushed on to increase that lead in the second, aided by two Danilo Andjusic three pointers, as well as a flurry of two pointers by Dwayne Bacon to go in at half-time 55-43 up.
From there, Monaco consolidated their lead, drawing the third quarter, before closing the game out with a dominant fourth quarter, ultimately securing the win 94-71. Mike James finished as the top scorer with 18, closely followed by Andjusic and Bacon with 16.
Not wishing to dwell on the win, Coach Zvezdan Mitrovic’s thoughts turned immediately to Sunday’s fixture against Cholet, a team that they struggled against last year, and who have since improved further. Mitrovic acknowledged the short turnaround for all Euroleague sides this year. “There are lots of problems with consistency for all Euroleague teams. Bayern are also struggling in their domestic championship.”
There was, however, no such hangover for Mitrovic’s men as they backed up their Euroleague win with an even more emphatic display at home against Cholet. A tightly-contested first quarter, which was edged 24-25 by Cholet, gave the false illusion of a tight encounter; what followed was a complete annihilation.
AS Monaco basket took the second quarter by an impressive 18-point margin (27-9), and this display then set the tone for a dominant second-half as wins in both quarters (30-13 and 21-12) gave Mitrovic’s men a resounding 102-59 victory. Yakuba Outtara and Brock Motum this time the outstanding points scorers with 23 and 22 points respectively.
Keen to avoid over-analysis after two impressive weekend displays, Mitrovic succinctly summarised, without embellishment, his side’s performance after the match. “It was a very good collective display”.
The victories not only put them back in contention on both the domestic and European fronts, but the manner of them was an emphatic sign of strength that is sure to disturb their rivals.
 
 
Photo source: AS Monaco Basket