By Eurohoops team / info@Eurohoops.net
Scoring 21 points, Jaron Blossomgame pushed AS Monaco to the semifinals in France by beating SIG Strasbourg 85-83 on the road to keep chasing the first-ever French championship in club’s history. The former ratiopharm Ulm player, who was almost perfect at the line with 8/10, was followed by Jordan Loyd, who added 17 points.
Mike James didn’t play, and this gave Matthew Strazel more minutes: the former ASVEL playmaker ended with 9 points and a half-court buzzer-beater at the end of the first half.
On Luca Banchi’s team, Paul Lecombe led the way with 20 points and 7 rebounds, while Bodian Massa concluded his 2022-23 season with a double-double of 11 points and 14 rebounds. Also, the former Brooklyn Nets player Rodions Kurucs had 17 points and 5 rebounds.
After ending the EuroLeague season on 3rd place by beating FC Barcelona during the Final Four in Kaunas, AS Monaco will now chase the French championship. In order to get to the Finals, they will need to overcome the Eurocup participants of JL Bourg-en-Bresse, which beat JDA Dijon 2-0 in their series.
In the other semifinal, Victor Wembanyama will face his former team ASVEL with Boulogne-Levallois. Moreover, the Monegasque side already won this year’s Coupe de France, beating ASVEL 90-70 on April 22.
Matthew Strazel closing the first-half in style 😎#BetclicELITEpic.twitter.com/FIlosqov4K
— AS Monaco Basket EN 🏀 (@ASMBasket_EN) May 26, 2023
2022-23 LNB Quarter-Finals results and Semifinals schedule
AS Monaco – SIG Strasbourg 2-0
Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92 – Cholet Basketball 2-1
ASVEL – Le Mans 2-0
JDA Dijon – JL Bourg-en-Bresse 0-2
AS Monaco – JL Bourg-en-Bresse
Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92 – ASVEL