The Roca Team edged closer to a place in the Betclic Elite finals with a hard-fought victory over Asvel on Sunday night at Gaston Médecin. After a nervy opening spell, Monaco’s collective grit and suffocating defence proved too much for their visitors, sealing a 74-64 win and a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five semi-final series. One more win, and the Principality will be booking a rematch against Paris in this year’s final.
For Vassilis Spanoulis and his side, this was a performance rooted in resilience. Still missing star guard Mike James and big man Daniel Theis, Monaco leaned heavily on its athleticism and team spirit — qualities that were sorely lacking in the Game 1 defeat. Spanoulis stuck with a familiar starting five of Strazel, Okobo, Diallo, Blossomgame, and Papagiannis. Across the floor, Pierric Poupet opted for a line-up of Maledon, Jackson, Lighty, Sako, and Lauvergne.
Early signs were worrying for Monaco. Maledon struck first and Asvel capitalised on second-chance points to race out to a 2-8 lead. The hosts struggled to settle, but a timeout from Spanoulis shifted the momentum. Sparked by Strazel’s free throws and Okobo’s first three-pointer, Monaco launched a 15-0 run, with Mam Jaiteh bullying the paint. By the end of the first quarter, the Roca Boys had clawed their way into a 19-15 lead.
Defensively, Monaco were dialled in. Asvel’s offence spluttered under relentless pressure, with Diallo and Blossomgame leading the charge. A brief Lyon fightback, orchestrated by Maledon and Lauvergne, brought the scores level midway through the second quarter, but key baskets from Blossomgame and Jaiteh kept the hosts in front at halftime, 34-32.
The second half saw both sides turn up the tempo. Strazel and Okobo combined to stretch the lead, while Diallo hit a crucial three to keep the Roca Boys in command. Jaiteh continued to dominate inside, and a timely contribution from Cornelie at both ends helped Monaco maintain a seven-point cushion heading into the final quarter (55-48).
With tension rising, Maledon briefly gave Asvel hope with a three-pointer to open Q4. But Monaco, now exuding control, extinguished the threat. Veteran playmaker Nick Calathes orchestrated proceedings, setting up Jaiteh with a beautiful assist before Okobo and Loyd delivered the knockout blows from beyond the arc. A helpless Asvel called timeout, but the damage was done.
In the closing minutes, Blossomgame put the game beyond doubt with another three, and Monaco closed out a composed victory. The final score: 74-64.
Now holding a 2-1 advantage, the Roca Team have a golden opportunity to clinch the series on home court this Tuesday. Another win and they’ll punch their ticket to the final, where a Parisian showdown awaits — and perhaps, a shot at redemption for last year’s heartbreak.
