The Monaco basketball players won at the last second on the floor of the Spaniards of Gran Canaria 76 to 74, and qualified for the final of the Eurocup, the second European competition behind the Euroleague, on Friday evening.
Zvezdan Mitrovic's players will try to win the first continental title for the Principality's club against the Italians of Virtus Bologna or the Russians of Kazan, who will play a decisive match 3 on Wednesday after the victory of Kazan in Russia (85-81) on Friday. .
The final will be played on the best of three fixtures, with matches scheduled between April 27 and May 5.
FINAL @EuroCup ✅ on an incredible game-winner of @iRob_G Gray The #RocaTeam HEROIC‼ ️ pic.twitter.com/epc3YLmJnt
- AS Monaco Basket (@ASMonaco_Basket) April 9, 2021
The Monegasques, who will host Châlon-Reims on Monday evening at 6:00 p.m. in the French championship, will probably at the same time have an attentive ear on Zenit Saint-Petersburg's Euroleague match (7:00 p.m.) against the Greeks of Panathinaikos.
In the event of a Russian victory, the Roca Team will have its ticket guaranteed for the next Euroleague season, otherwise it will have to win the Eurocup final to play the C1 in September.
Winning shot for Rob Gray
On Friday, Mathias Lessort's teammates dominated the debates from the second quarter, in particular thanks to Damien Inglis, author of 12 points, 7 rebounds and 2 interceptions.
Dominators, they have not succeeded in establishing a sufficient gap to take cover for good.
They thus saw Gran Canaria come back to equality (59-59, 33rd), took back the controls thanks to a found Lessort (precious blocks and offensive rebounds in the last minutes), but saw the Canaries players pick up the score (74 -74) with just over three seconds to go on three free throws from French leader Andrew Albicy.
It was finally Rob Gray who scored the basket of victory and the Monaco qualification 2 / 10th of a second from the buzzer.
#RocaTeam top scorers:
Marcos Knight: 17 points, 21 ratings, 8 rebounds and 5 assists
JJ O'Brien: 15 points (at 6/8)
@DamienINGLIS: 12 points, 7 rebounds and 2 steals
⚡️ Dee Bost: 15 points and 5 assists pic.twitter.com/I1bNwxZv6I
- AS Monaco Basket (@ASMonaco_Basket) April 9, 2021
Only one French club reached the Eurocup final.
In 2016, Strasbourg lost against Galatasaray.
It is the 20th European final with a French club, while the SIG is still in contention this season in the European Cup, after having snatched its qualification for the Final 8 of the Champions League, the 3rd level of European basketball after the Euroleague and the Eurocup.
In 2018, Monaco lost in the final of the C3, yielding against AEK Athens 100 to 94 for its first European final.
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