Monaco edges out Crvena Zvezda despite struggling Mike James / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: Gianfranco Cavassa/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images Credit Gianfranco Cavassa/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images

AS Monaco (3-3) welcomed Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade (2-4) to kick off Round 6 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. In the end, Monaco edged out the visitors 70-62 (21-12, 20-24, 15-17, 14-9).

Player of the Game EFF 28 Alpha Diallo Points 19 Accuracy 7-10 Rebounds 7 Assists 2

It was a low-scoring fourth quarter, but Monaco held a small advantage for the entire period. The visitors cut their deficit to three after a floater by Nate Wolters with 1:32 remaining (62-65).

But two clutch offensive rebounds by Alpha Diallo helped Monaco retain their lead and come away with an eight-point victory.

Crvena Zvezda shot outstandingly well from the 2-point range (21/29, 72.4%), but struggled from long range, only converting 3 of 21 (14.3%).

Monaco finished the first quarter on a 9-2 run to gain a nine-point advantage after one (21-12). The hosts gained a 12-point lead in the second period (29-17), but Crvena Zvezda answered with a run of their own, cutting their deficit to five going into halftime (36-41).

Zvezda carried the momentum to the second half, starting it with a 9-0 spurt (45-41). Mike James was quiet for almost 28 minutes before scoring his first points with a long-range 3-pointer to tie the game at 52.

Alpha Diallo and Donatas Motiejunas led Monaco tonight. Diallo ended with 19 points (7/8 2PT, 0/2 3PT, 5/6 FT), 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, 1 turnover, and 28 PIR.

Motiejunas added 14 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 2 turnovers, and 21 PIR.

"Of course it’s very important for us as a team," the Lithuanian forward commented after the game. "All three losses were close so it was really important to get back on a winning roll in the EuroLeague, so everyone is happy and we’re happy we could give this to our fans."

Mike James only had 8 points (1/3 2PT, 2/8 3PT), 4 assists, 1 steal, 3 turnovers, and 1 PIR.

On the losing side, Nate Wolters led Crvena Zvezda with 18 points (8/9 2PT, 0/3 3PT, 2/2 FT), 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 turnovers, and 17 PIR.

"I cannot say it was a beautiful game, but we fought for 40 minutes," Monaco coach Zvezdan Mitrovic said post-game. "We expected a game like this, not like the game against Barcelona where we played really great, everybody running. But we make one more victory in the EuroLeague which is great. We did our job."

Monaco: Alpha Diallo 19 (7 REB), Donatas Motiejunas 14 (8 REB), Danilo Andjusic 12, Donta Hall 9, Mike James 8.

Crvena Zvezda: Nate Wolters 18 (5 AST), Nikola Kalinic 14 (5 REB), Ognjen Kuzmic 10 (7 REB), Ognjen Dobric 8.

Highlights

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