On Wednesday evening, the Roca Team will be crowned for the first time in the French championship if they win.

The Gaston-Médecin room was "The place to be" in Monaco this Monday evening.

Prince Albert, a regular at his team's Euroleague meetings, was present, as was Tony Parker, the president of Asvel, accompanied by actor and rapper JoeyStarr, currently in the Principality to take part in the International Television Festival.

And this third round offered a very good opposition with a quality show.

The end of the match was even breathtaking, as the ability of TJ Parker's men to hang on was great.

But the Monegasques Paris Lee or Will Thomas did not crack at the very end of the match, scoring decisive free throws.

After a first quarter where the giant Villeurbannais Youssoupha Fall distinguished himself (eight points, one rebound) and where TJ Parker's men raced in the lead (20-16, 10th), the Monegasque defense tightened its vice until half-time.

Okobo vs. Bacon

Under the impetus of Alpha Diallo, who however accumulated three faults at the break, and especially of Paris Lee, ball thief and very skilful at three points (3/3 during the second quarter), the players of Sasa Obradovic reversed the trend.

After dominating the second quarter 23-13, the Roca Team had a six-point lead at halftime (39-33).

Monaco coach Sasa Obradovic in match 1 of the Euroleague quarter-final lost on the Piraeus floor on April 20, 2022 Angelos Tzortzinis AFP / Archives

With a less skilful but more altruistic Mike James than usual (seven assists at the break), Lee and Dwayne Bacon, crisp and author of some classy penetrations, scored fifteen of Monaco's 23 points in the second quarter.

Lee continued his momentum from the start of the second half with three entry points (42-33, 21st).

But the third quarter mainly gave rise to a duel from a distance between the Villeurbannais Elie Okobo and the Monegasque Bacon.

In this little game, the French international was very strong (17 points after 30 minutes).

Author of eleven points in five minutes, he allowed his people to pick up (49-48, 26th).

But Diallo's defense and Bacon's reaction served to control the rise of the Rhodaniens (59-56 before the last quarter).

The physical combat then became even more dense.

The Monegasques Yakuba Ouattara, Will Thomas and even James were important defensively.

Despite this, the end of the match was very tight, Chris Jones (fifteen points) finding the Riviera fault several times.

Monaco, always unpredictable, then released the improbable shot: that of pivot Donatas Motiejunas in a three-point corner one minute from time (78-72).

Okobo, excellent and author of 25 points, still found the possibility of passing another three-point shot (78-75).

But it wasn't enough.

And Monaco now has a significant advantage with two match points.

© 2022 AFP