Euroleague – History: Monaco in the Final Four after their victory against Maccabi Tel Aviv (97-86)

French basketball is happy: Monaco did it, Monaco qualified for the Euroleague Final Four! Pushed to match 5 by Maccabi Tel Aviv, Sasa Obradovic’s players defeated Club Nation (97-86), six-time continental champion, in an incandescent Gaston-Médecin room on Wednesday evening. The princely club offers France its first qualification in the last four of the most prestigious European competition since 1997 and Alain Digbeu’s ASVEL.

It was necessary to exorcise the demons of Olympiakos, executioner last year of Monegasque ambitions at the gates of the Final Four. Never had the Roca Team lair roared so loudly for Mike James and his pals. Inspired under the gaze of Prince Albert II, a prestigious spectator of the Epilogue, the American genius paved the way for his own. The Portland native scored 21 points in the first half, including 11 in the opening 10 minutes.

Okobo and Loyd, efficient relays for James

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His influence in the game waned in the second act. But James was successfully assisted in scoring by Jordan Loyd (21 units, 3/3 at long distance) and by Elie Okobo (9 pts), author of an incredible shot behind the line at the end of possession to restore the advantage to Monaco in the third quarter (66-64).

United as one man around their Serbian coach Obradovic, the Roca Team remained solid in defense. She had identified her main shortcomings which led to the two Israeli successes: the efficiency of the duo Lorenzo Brown / Wade Baldwin (41 points, 15 rebounds in game 4) and the conquest of the rebound.

Olympiakos in the semi-finals

If they did not manage to “cut the head of the snake” – 39 points accumulated by the two Americans on Wednesday evening -, the Monegasques were at least present under the hoop (38 rebounds to 28), and their intensity made the difference.

AS Monaco Basket continues to write its history, that of a club which languished in National 1 less than ten years ago and which is now close to the continental summits. His ticket for Kaunas composted (May 19-21), the gang of Mike James is only two games away from a first European title. Olympiakos, their semi-final opponents, hold the keys to an even bigger world.

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