Monaco, with a once again imperial Mike James, beat Fenerbahçe Istanbul (76-69), Friday evening in its Gaston-Médecin hall during the 25th day of the Euroleague, and thus returns to the level of its evening opponent in ranking.
This fourth consecutive victory for the Roca Team in the competition allows Sasa Obradovic’s men to now have 15 victories for 10 defeats, as many as Panathinakos, defeated in Kaunas, and Fenerbahçe. Just one victory away from Bologna, which Monaco will visit on the next day, February 9.
Long dominated, the Roca Team managed to take the lead in the heart of the last quarter (67-66, 33rd). Once again, it was Mike James (23 points, 6 assists, 28 rating) who was the detonator, notably with a series of eight consecutive points, including two award-winning baskets, which brought the room to its feet, to give the advantage to his own.
But like the high-end match produced by John Brown III, an insatiable fighter, Monaco also owes its victory to a defensive density found in an exceptional last quarter where Fenerbahçe did not exist (21-8). The Turks who won by 12 points in the first leg, however, maintain a lead over the Rock team in the event of a final tie.