By Eurohoops / info@eurohoops.net
After losing to Virtus Bologna, AS Monaco needed a win. And nothing better than a win at home to calm things down.
Vassilis Spanoulis’ team edged Valencia Basket 90-84 to get back on the winning track.
The first half was total domination from the home team, and the fans from Salle Gason Medecin enjoyed a show with their stars shining bright. Daniel Theis (10 p., 4 r.), Nikola Mirotic (15p. 4r.), Alpha Diallo (16p. 5r.), and Matthew Strazel (14p.) controlled the game from the tip-off.
Josep Puerto (13 p. 4 r.) and Nate Reuvers with a double-double (10 p. 10 r.) were Valencia Basket’s best players, but it was Brancou Badio (18 p.) who finished as the Spanish team’s top scorer.
After the first exchange of blows, it only took some minutes for the home team to get control of the game. Finishing the first half on a high note and with a huge lead (57-37), it was all about managing the differential, and Monaco had some problems doing so.
A great third quarter, which included a 20-6 run for the guests, gave Valencia Basket some hope, as the score was 71-62 entering the fourth quarter.
Still, Monaco kept its distance around double-digits, getting the comfortable win, as it was never in doubt that Spanoulis’ team would prevail.