Euroligue: La Roca Team knocked out by Fenerbahçe after tense match
La Roca Team were beaten at Gaston Médecin by the Turkish team Fenerbahce (79-80)(2)
AS Monaco Basket’s most important game of the season took place on May 8, as they vied for a place in the Euroligue’s final four.
Mike James and his team could almost taste the qualification throughout the match, but it was the team from Istanbul that qualified for the second round of the Play-offs. After going into extra time, the Roca Team were beaten by a single point, 79 – 80, and certainly have reason to be disappointed with the match.
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The Roca Boys étaient were supported by a packed Salle Gaston Médecin, including Prince Albert II and the club’s President Aleksej Fedoricsev, who came to watch.
The Roca Team played well, but Fenerbahçe can be grateful for their dazzling three-point shooting performance. A 42% success rate for Fenerbahçe compared to 26% for Monaco made the difference, leaving AS Monaco Basket unable to respond.
The Monagesques led early on in the match, however, leading 40 – 35 at half time, thanks to the Lithuanian giant Motiejunas, an incredible stealer and passer of the ball.
It was a different story in the second half though, the Turks equalised and were even 4 points ahead with 2 minutes to go. Enter the great Mike James and Elie Okobo, scoring the precious points that kept the Roca Team’s hopes alive.
Okobo even had a chance to snatch the win in the dying seconds but was beaten by the buzzer. The winner would be decided in extra time.
The Roca Team were totally in control, but Fenerbahçe were saved by two 3-point throws out of two attempts. Fate had chosen its winner and Fenerbahçe, unconvincing winners, denied the Roca Team the chance to take on the Greeks from Panathinaikos, who knocked Barcelona out.
It was a cruel and emotional defeat for our Roca Boys, who were both emotional and crestfallen at the end of the match. Next up for the Roca Team is tomorrow evening, 11 May at 7.15pm, when they take on Ada Blois away from home for the final Betclic Elite match day before the play-offs.