Paris (AFP)
Monaco will play for the second year in a row the final of the Championship of France basketball thanks to his victory, the third in three games Thursday in Dijon 81 to 78.
The Monegasques, finalists last year, will face for the title Villeurbanne or Nanterre. ASVEL leads 2-0 before the third match Friday in the Hauts-de-Seine.
The Roca Team rounds out the semifinal series 3-0 after their two wins in the Principality. It confirms the sparkling form it has held since the arrival of Serbian coach Sasa Obradovic at the end of February. The team, which had already swept Limoges in the quarterfinals in two sets, remains on 22 wins in 23 games.
The Dijonnais, very difficult to beat this season in their room, have believed that they would grant a reprieve in the wake of their American leader David Holston, MVP of the season (17 bridges), when they led 11 lengths after the first quarter (25-14). But Monaco came back during the third and ended up winning in a "money time" suspense.
"I'm proud of ourselves, in the face of adversity, we were able to remain confident, the crowd was there to push them, but we knew we would be back in front. figuration, "said RMC Sports mike back Yakuba Ouattara, the best Monegasque since the start of the play-offs, author of 15 points, including 11 in the second half.
Bosnian pivot Elmedin Kikanovic (15 points) and American outdoor duo Dee Bost and Lazeric Jones (14 and 13 points) were the other great architects of Monaco's success, with Ukrainian Seryi Gladyr (13 points).
Winner of the previous three regular seasons, Monaco had always cracked in play-offs. Last year, he had failed against all odds in the final against Le Mans in the fifth decisive match. This season, it is Villeurbanne who carries the label of favorite after his "pole position" of the first phase.
? 2019 AFP