Hot streak continues: James, Bacon and D-Mo carry Monaco past Zenit / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: SIPA-SCANPIX Credit SIPA-SCANPIX

AS Monaco (10-11) recorded their fourth straight victory at the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, upsetting Zenit St. Petersburg (12-7) at their home floor 86-77 (18-17, 18-15, 21-18, 29-27) and ending Zenit's own four-game winning streak.

Player of the Game EFF 22 Mike James Points 21 Accuracy 9-18 Rebounds 4 Assists 5

Jordan Mickey cut Zenit's deficit to five at the start of the fourth (54-59), but Will Thomas and Dwayne Bacon scored six consecutive points to give Monaco their first double-digit advantage (65-54). Mike James added four straight points, providing the visitors with their largest lead of the contest with three minutes remaining (75-62).

Zenit responded with five straight points to cut Monaco's advantage to eight (67-75), but the visitors kept their composure as Mike James iced the game and an x-point victory.

Mike James was the most efficient player for the winners, finishing with 21 points (8/14 2PT, 1/4 3PT, 2/2 FT), 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block, 2 turnovers, and 23 PIR.

"It was a long week, 'cause we had a double-week, so we're playing catch-up right now," James said. "[The key was] on defense. I think we're picking it up slowly, exactly what the coach wants us to do. And I think offensively, we're talented, but when we get stops, we're dangerous."

Dwayne Bacon and Donatas Motiejunas were also great for Monaco. Bacon had 20 points (6/12 2PT, 2/4 3PT, 2/4 FT), 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 turnovers, and 15 PIR. Motiejunas added 16 points (6/9 2PT, 1/2 3PT, 1/2 FT), 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 1 turnover, and 21 PIR.

"We were ready, we were talking in the locker room that they were going to come out aggressive and that we needed to be aggressive, physical, so I think we achieved that," Motiejunas admitted. "We're incredibly skilled defensively and just listening to what coach is telling us and fulfilling his game plans helps us win games like this."

Points this season

46%74,0Points made:74,0Accuracy:46,0%Place in standings:13Record max:90Record min:58Best scorer:Jordan LoydTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

After scoring 22 points in Monaco's last game against ALBA Berlin, Donatas Motiejunas continued his hot streak in tonight's contest, scoring 10 points in the first period and helping the visitors to a narrow one-point advantage after the first quarter (18-17).

The other Lithuanian of this game, Mindaugas Kuzminskas, was great in the second period, putting up eight points. His 3-pointer helped Zenit gain their first lead of the contest (30-29). However, Monaco finished the quarter on a high note, capped off by Mike James' last-second score to give the Rocca team a four-point advantage (36-32).

Monaco kept control of the game in the third, going up by as many as nine points in the period. They had a seven-point cushion going into the fourth and final quarter (57-50).

Monaco: Mike James 21 (5 AST), Dwayne Bacon 20 (6 REB), Donatas Motiejunas 16 (8 REB), Danilo Andjusic 9, Will Thomas 8.

Zenit: Jordan Mickey 18 (5 BLK), Mindaugas Kuzminskas 12, Dmitry Kulagin 12, Sergey Karasev 10, Jordan Loyd 9 (5 AST), Mateusz Ponitka 6 (5 REB).

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