Thank you Magic Mike: Monaco, winner on the floor of Maccabi Tel-Aviv (83-78) on Tuesday thanks to its star Mike James, regained the advantage (2-1) in its Euroleague quarter-final series and can conclude on Thursday, again in Israel. ASM is only one match away from imitating 26 years after Asvel, the last club in the French Championship present in the last four of the queen of continental competitions in 1997.
And if this Thursday did not smile on the Roca Team, it could always conclude next week at home, in its Gaston-Médecin room, during a fifth and final match to reserve its ticket for the Final Four in Kaunas (19- May 21st). “We were able to keep our calm for 40 minutes,” appreciated winger Alpha Diallo, emphasizing the mental qualities of his team.
promised hell
The Menora Mivtachim Arena, full of more than 10,000 yellow and blue devotees, lived up to the promised hell but it was a little Monegasque devil who came out of this box: Mike James, 21 stacked points including 18 in an extraordinary first part of the match. If the Rock club has succeeded in imitating Barcelona and Red Star Belgrade, the only two teams to have triumphed over Maccabi at home this Euroleague season, it owes it above all to its number 55 which launched it into this game 3.
Very discreet since the start of the series, with 15 then 11 points scored, “The Natural” caught fire in the Menora Mivtachim Arena. Perhaps the effect of the hostile reception on the forecourt of the room where a bodyguard grabbed him by the sleeve to guide him inside. And when Mike James, still on the hunt for a first Euroleague title, lost in success, Elie Okobo took over. The French international compiled 12 points but above all a decisive interception 32 seconds from the buzzer (78-71) before getting the fault.
revenge
A little revenge on Lorenzo Brown, the American leader of Maccabi Tel-Aviv naturalized Spanish, who tortured the Blues in the final of the last Eurobasket at the end of the summer. Third tooth of the Monegasque trident Jordan Loyd (15 points) punished Maccabi from behind the line (3/6). And more generally, the entire Roca Team responded to the ambient hostility with aggressive aggression, like their 12 offensive rebounds (compared to nine opposite). All while the men of the Rock had to work against Cholet on Sunday when those of Tel Aviv have been entirely focused on this meeting since Thursday.