To compete in the Final 4 of the queen competition of European basketball, the Monegasque Roca Team will have to win on Friday (9 p.m.), still in their Gaston-Médecin room, then next Wednesday in Piraeus, in the boiling room of Peace and friendship.

Only two French clubs managed to reach the Final 4 of the C1 basketball in the 1990s: Limoges (1990, 1993, 1995) and Villeurbanne, the latest in 1997.

In contact with the Greeks at the start of the third quarter, Sasa Obradovic's players lost a little in their shooting efficiency in the middle of this quarter, like their star Mike James, and were immediately punished by the more experienced Olympiakos players (71-56, 29th).

But the Monegasques took advantage of a drop in the level of play of the Greek collective to pick up the score and even go back in front in the last minutes of the meeting (80-79, 38th).

Finally, it was on free throws that Olympiakos, who had failed in this sector at the start of the game, secured their victory in the last two minutes.

It is also thanks to the experience of Kostas Sloukas, winner of the Euroleague with Olympiakos in 2012 and 2013, that the Piraeus team came out of it.

The 32-year-old Greek finished the game with 21 points, four more than Sasha Vezenkov.

The joy of Greek back Kostas Sloukas after Olympiakos' victory over Monaco in match 1 of the Euroleague quarter-final on April 20, 2022 in Athens Angelos Tzortzinis AFP / Archives

"I think we controlled the game except for the fourth quarter. We have great respect for the Monaco team, they have been playing really well since the start of the season," Vezenkov said afterward. the encounter.

On the Monaco side, Mike James was limited to 13 points, quickly penalized for two faults in the first three minutes of the game.

It was Dwayne Bacon with his award-winning shots (5/9 from three points) who carried, in vain, the Roca Team.

Monaco's American fullback Mike James outflanks his counterpart and Olympiakos compatriot Thomas Walkup, during match 1 of the Euroleague quarter-final against Monaco, on April 20, 2022 in Athens Angelos Tzortzinis AFP / Archives

The Monegasques, novices in the Euroleague this season, no longer have the right to make mistakes.

© 2022 AFP