EUROGUE – AS Monaco wins its last regular season match against ASVEL and validates its qualification for the play -offs

For the fourth consecutive year, Monaco will participate in the Play-offs of the Euroligue de Basketball. Led by a Mike James Inspired, the Roca Team won on the thread Thursday evening on the ASVEL public prosecutor's office (83-78) in Villeurbanne to win its qualification for the quarter-finals. In delicacy with his shot last week during the defeat against Panathinaikos, the American rear found it, signing a full match (20 points, 7 assists, 8/8 in the franc launch).

Already eliminated by play-offs, ASVEL, which could break its victory record in Euroligue in case of success, hung on until the last minute of the meeting before falling under the assaults of the men of Vassilis Spanoulis, more determined. In diesel mode, the two teams took a long time to find the offensive inspiration, based mainly on opposing faults to increase the brand to the franc launch (7-7, 4th).

But finally released at the end of the quarter, Mike James allowed the Monegasques to take off the first time. First on a 'three points more for lack', then on an offering to the buzzer for the pivot Mouhammadou Jaiteh (22-15, 10th). Less rigorous defensively, like the young Theo Maledon author of five ball losses, the Asvel then let the rock of the rock spin at the start of the second quarter (33-23, 14th).

Best marker of his team (12 points in the first half), Neal Sako allowed the Tony Parker club, however, to continue to hope at halftime (41-35, 20th), well helped by the blatant lack of offensive rhythm of the Monegasque leader Nick Calathes. On the return from the locker room, Mike James, again, gave a little more air to the men of Vassilis Spanoulis, suddenly chaining a decisive pass, a shot halfway and a three points in imbalance (49-42, 22nd).

But encouraged by an unleashed Villeurbannais audience, ASVEL gave birth to the scoring at the end of the 3rd quarter thanks to an untenable Sako, before taking the brief advantage on two French launchers from the French international Nando de Colo (55-57, 29th). The last quarter was particularly disputed, the two teams still rising a notch their level of physical engagement in the racket. Two minutes from the final whistle, the score table displayed perfect equality (74-74, 38th).

And in an irrespirable atmosphere, a fault whistled on a three-point shot from Mike James gave a short margin to Monaco (77-74, 39th). Impeccable in the franc launch in the last seconds, Monaco has finally won five points to afford a place of choice in the European top 4, synonymous with the advantage of the field which will allow him to play at home the first two matches of the series at the best of five matches, as well as a possible fifth match.