AS Monaco Basket does it again -Euroleague Final Four here we come!
As they prepare for the major new challenge, the players and staff can relish their qualification, achieved thanks to their mental strength. It confirms the Monegasque club's stature, up with the best in Europe © Stéphane Danna/Communication Department
The atmosphere was at fever pitch at Gaston Médecin, as the Roca Boys secured their 2nd-ever qualification for the Euroleague Final Four, beating FC Barcelona by one point (85-84) at the end of an incredibly intense Game 5. They’ll be heading to Abu Dhabi to take on Olympiakos in a fortnight’s time.
The nervous excitement was palpable at Salle Gaston Médecin for the decisive 5th match between AS Monaco Basket and FC Barcelona. After winning the first two legs at home and then suffering two defeats in Catalonia in games 3 and 4, it was make or break for the Principality’s players.
In a closely contested game, the Monegasques showed their physicality and aggression to win by the finest of margins (85-84). Barça’s strongman Punter’s final shot was perfectly parried by an imperious Georgios Papagiannis, enabling the Roca Boys to hold on to their precious lead.
A night to remember for the fans
The Monegasque venue was sold out, and the atmosphere was as electric as any of the memorable European encounters in the Principality. The 5,000 spectators really made the home advantage count, urging their protégés on in an atmosphere reminiscent of past exploits against Fenerbahçe last season and Maccabi Tel-Aviv two years ago.
It was sheer mental strength that made the difference, after four hard-fought quarters (15-19, 30-20, 20-23, 20-22). Mike James’ side went ahead in the second quarter, then managed to hold off a Catalan comeback.
“We wanted to make it a tough match for Barcelona. They were a very strong side and pushed us to our limits. After the first two games, some people saw us in the Final Four already, and subconsciously so did we. Tonight, I’m delighted with the win and the qualification. In life, we always learn from our experiences, and the semi-final two years ago and last season’s game 5 will definitely serve us well. It hasn’t sunk in yet, but it was a clear objective at the start of the season. You tick that box and it’s on to the next challenge. We’ll go all out for the win over the 40 minutes,” said the captain.
Now Abu Dhabi and Olympiakos
The precious victory sees AS Monaco Basket through to the Final Four for the second time in their history, two years after their historic first qualification. The Monegasques will meet Olympiakos in the semi-final in Abu Dhabi in a fortnight’s time, the same opponent they faced first time around. Tip off is on Friday 23 May at 10pm local time (8pm French time).
“I’m proud of my players and my staff. The whole team put in a great performance, with a lot of heart. It was a very difficult game, and we expected that. Barcelona came here with ambition. We were warned. Georgios Papagiannis had an incredible match. I knew he was going to make a huge contribution to our game. He was invaluable under the hoop and in the game play. But I don’t want to talk about just one player, tonight was a team victory. The Final Four? Qualifying was an objective for the club. It’s growing every year, and that’s important if we’re to move forward. We’re going to Abu Dhabi to win. All the teams have a 25% chance of winning. So do we. Olympiakos? Everyone knows what that club means to me. But now I’m proud to be here in Monaco, and I will give everything for 40 minutes to win,” explained coach Vassilis Spanoulis.
