Roca Team brought home a medal for the third place in the League des Champions. It was not the medal they were so eager to get, the one for the first place. Nevertheless, the Monegasque team took a place on the podium of the League and that is historical.
The game against the second best team in Italian Championship was far from easy fight. Reyer Venezia wanted this third place medal as much as Roca Team. Therefore, both teams were fighting fiercely. But the game of the Monegasque team was more spectacular and efficient.
Players of Zvezdan Mitrovic lost only once in the fourth quarter (18-22) but then the result was obvious already and rare one would bet on the Italians at that moment.
From the beginning of the first quarter, Roca Team took the rhythm, which they’ve managed to keep during the whole match. After winning in the first quarter (26-21), Roca Team even increased their efforts, it seemed that all the regret of losing to Banvit in the semi-final overtook them and they did the best to pass the Italian team right to the podium of the Ligue des Champions. Second (21-12) and third quarters (26-22) were in favor of Roca Team too.
“I congratulate players for their spectacular game with a lot of outstanding actions that led them eventually to the medal in the League. We’ve represented very decently the Principality of Monaco and French basketball. Now our next goal is to became champions of France”, – coach of Roca Team, Zvezdan Mitrovic, said after the game.
Source: asmbasket.org