The Roca Team stormed into the French capital with a mission, and they delivered in spectacular fashion. In a high-stakes EuroLeague clash against Paris Basketball, AS Monaco flexed their muscles with a dominant 91-79 victory. With this commanding performance, they are firmly in fourth place in the standings, setting the stage for a thrilling rematch against their Parisian rivals in Betclic Elite action on 9th March.
The stakes were high on Wednesday as Monaco and Paris entered this game with identical records of 16 wins and 11 losses. The razor-thin margins in this season’s EuroLeague meant one misstep could send a team tumbling down the standings. With several teams nearly neck and neck, both sides knew the importance of securing a win. Paris, still reeling from a tight loss to Fenerbahçe earlier in the week, hoped to bounce back on their home turf at the Adidas Arena.
After an evenly contested first half, Monaco entered the break with a slim 44-39 lead. But once the second half began, they poured on the gas. The Roca Team came out on all cylinders, breezing by Paris with their relentless defence and nearly flawless offense. German powerhouse Daniel Theis took centre stage, showcasing his full arsenal, nailing free throws and sinking three-pointers with ease. His scoring spearheaded a stunning 12-0 run, capped off by an Alpha Diallo three-pointer that extended Monaco’s lead to 17 points. Paris never recovered.
By the start of the final quarter, Monaco had stretched their advantage to 18 points, hitting a score of 71-53, and despite some late efforts from Jaron Blossomgame and TJ Shorts, the Parisians simply couldn’t close the gap. The Roca Team secured a solid 91-79 win.
Vassilis Spanoulis, coach of the Roca Team, said after the match, “It was a great performance by the team tonight. The plan was respected, especially in defence. Matthew, Elie, Mike moved the ball well. Alpha defended well, Daniel was valuable, Jordan was skilful, everyone contributed. It’s a team victory. If we reproduce that, we will continue to win.”
Theis and Jordan Loyd were top scorers on the night with 21 points each. Alpha Diallo added 15 with Elie Okobo chipping in 12.
Monaco and Paris are set to clash again on 9th March, this time in a Betclic Elite match at home. But with momentum on their side and another commanding performance under their belts, the Roca Team will be looking to make it two-for-two against their capital rivals at Gaston Médecin.
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Photo source: AS Monaco Basketball