The Roca Team held on for a 108–95 home win against JDA Dijon on Easter Sunday, keeping the Roca Team top of the Betclic Elite standings ahead of a pivotal week in the Euroleague.
The victory was hard-earned. With Mike James, Daniel Theis, Nemanja Nedovic and Terry Tarpey all sidelined through injury, coach Sergii Gladyr could call upon just seven professional players, supplemented by four young prospects. It was a makeshift lineup facing a Dijon side that pushed them to the limit before the final buzzer.
Elie Okobo and Matthew Strazel drove Monaco’s offence from the outset, with Alpha Diallo and Juhann Begarin providing consistent support. The hosts established early control, leading 30–21 after the first quarter and extending that advantage to 48–32 by halftime on the back of sharp shooting and disciplined defence.
The third quarter saw Monaco pull further clear. Okobo was at his imperious best, Kevarrius Hayes made his presence felt at both ends, and an interception followed by an immediate three-pointer from number 0 pushed the lead out to twenty points at 80–60.
The final quarter brought nerves. Dijon gradually clawed their way back into contention, reducing the deficit to just seven points with five minutes remaining to make it 93–86. It was Alpha Diallo who steadied the ship, producing a floater, a fast break and a composed assist to Begarin, who then finished off a sublime behind-the-back pass from Nikola Mirotic to restore breathing room. Monaco closed out the game 108–95.
The win was not without incident. A series of altercations between players late in the fourth quarter drew a rebuke from head coach Gladyr afterwards. “I want to apologize to the fans and spectators. This isn’t what we want to see in a basketball game,” he said, while acknowledging the effort required to secure the points. “We had to dig deep, and now we launch ourselves into a crucial week in the Euroleague.”
Okobo echoed that sentiment. “Playing with only seven players was a physical challenge. We managed to control the match, even though Dijon closed the gap. We hope to have some players back next week.”
Monaco now turn their attention to back-to-back Euroleague playoff fixtures at home, hosting ASVEL and Barcelona in what promises to be a defining stretch of the season.