After its logical victory over Asvel (92-82) Tuesday evening, in its Gaston-Médecin room, Monaco qualified for the Top 8 of the French Basketball Cup, which will take place on March 16 and 17 at Trélazé.
Led by a good Donatas Motiejunas (16 points) and a Mike James in leader mode (16 points), Monaco offers itself the possibility of keeping the trophy acquired last season against the same Asvel team in Bercy (90-70 ). The excellent start of the Roca Team, following two free throws from Mike James (10-0, 3rd), then a long distance basket from the same James (15-5, 4th) was not enough to have an easy match.
President Tony Parker’s men, unwilling to suffer a ninth consecutive defeat against the Principality team, held on to return to equality on a 2 1 from Timothé Luwawu-Cabarot (18-18, 8th). Former captain Charles Kahudi even set an example by scoring and getting the foul twice in order to finally take the advantage in the match (33-34, 16th, and 36-37, 17th). These will be the only two times.
Because Monaco returned to the locker room with the advantage (45-43), never to let it go. After the third quarter, Sasa Obradovic’s men had regained an eight-point lead (67-59), before, in a sequence of four free throws, Matthew Strazel ensured a difference that was too big for an opposing comeback ( 71-59, 31st). In the last quarter, Strazel (12 points) showed his qualities and Donta Hall put on the show.
Monaco, which will play its quarter-final of the Leaders Cup on Friday against Le Mans, is therefore still in the race for a potential national treble (Championship-Coupe de France-Leaders Cup), without objective N.1: the Final Four of the ‘Euroleague.
