This time there was a match. But the result is the same. Led by Jordan Loyd (23 pts), the Roca Team again disposed of Boulogne-Levallois (95-88) this Monday, at Gaston-Médecin, during the second round of the French championship finals. The Principality club leads 2-0 and will have the opportunity to conclude Thursday, at Roland-Garros, in the third match. Swept last Saturday (87-64), Barry Brown (21 pts), TaShawn Thomas (18 pts), “Wemby” (17 pts) and the Mets sold their skin dearly. They even raced in the lead at the start of the match (14), but Monaco made their experience, their mastery and also their talent speak for themselves to win.
“We respected them too much,” said coach Collet after Game 1. Message received, with “Wemby” sounding the charge. The 19-year-old prodigy was as aggressive in attack as he was deterrent in defense (0-10). ASM took 3’38 to score their first basket (10-24, then 12-26)! 11 at the end of the first quarter, after an increase from Strazel at the buzzer (15-26). Thanks to Loyd first, then Brown III, Montejunas too but above all a rediscovered defense, Monaco erased their delay with calm and control, and took control (44-43). Author of 14 points in the first period, Thomas was still rising in temperature on the Ile-de-France side (44-47), but it was the Roca Team who took the lead at the break (50-47, then 50-49 MT). Strazel and his teammates had an “unacceptable” start to the game. The rest of the first act was much more in line with the usual standards of the third Euroleague despite glitches for several elements, with James’ ankle which spun early in the game, Hall suffered a groin and Loyd injured in the arch.
The Mets started strong in this second period (50-54, then 52-56), with “Wemby” blowing hot and cold and the two teams going blow for blow. Big intensity on the Rock. But this time, no “surrender” for the visitors, who remained in the wheel of ASM (67-62, then 73-71 end of 3rd QT). Not in the fourth quarter: Obradovic’s team recited their basketball and brought down the rain (83-73, then 90-78), with Loyd in charge, Hall omnipresent and those two straight triples from Strazel. Deprived of address from afar (4/14) and unable to make stops in defense, the players of Boulogne-Levallois were deceiving with individual exploits, but the Roca Team had clearly got their hands on this meeting and flew away inexorably towards victory. “Wemby” and company came back well to -5 in the last minutes, in vain, with this basket from James and a shovelful of offensive rebounds (95-88 final score). Cap on Roland-Garros, Thursday. The title match for ASM?
Final schedule and results: Match 1: Monaco – Boulogne-Levallois 87-64 Match 2: Monaco – Boulogne-Levallois 95-88 (Monaco leads 2-0) Match 3: Boulogne-Levallois – Monaco, Thursday 15 June
If necessary Match 4: Boulogne-Levallois – Monaco, Saturday June 17 Match 5: Monaco – Boulogne-Levallois, Tuesday June 20
All matches will start at 8:30 p.m. and will be broadcast by beIN SPORTS.
