With 13 points at 100% in overtime, while he was stuck at 5/16 before, Mike James saved AS Monaco from an absolute fiasco. Author of the winning shot, the former Brooklyn Nets point guard was unreal at Rhénus (30 points at 10/21, 3 rebounds, 8 assists and 3 steals) to allow the Roca Team to snatch a good Monday in Principality (97-95). After the match, he revealed that he suffered from a broken middle finger in his right hand (his shooting hand), before quickly deleting his tweet: a hidden injury, making his performance of the day even more impressive, and which could above all explain his absence which had caused talk on Wednesday.
“We force a match 3 when we play fairly moderately and the SIG has unrolled its score,” said a relieved Léo Westermann at the microphone of France 3 Regions. “Mike James made the difference, that’s why players like that are so rare. What he does in overtime is exceptional in France and even in Europe. An extraordinary festival which proves the intact motivation of the American for the Betclic ÉLITE and allows the ASM to continue dreaming of its first national title, but which also shattered the Alsatian illusions.
In the wake of its demonstration at Gaston-Médecin on Wednesday, the SIG delivered a new, very high-level performance. Led by John Roberson (25 points and 5 assists), Lassi Tuovi’s men proved that they were one of the rare French groups to have the solution to the Monegasque equation. A projection from Amine Noua even gave them an 8-point lead at the very end of the third quarter (56-64). With 2 minutes and 40 seconds remaining, the SIG even seemed to still have its destiny under control (71-76).
It was quickly forgotten that AS Monaco is home to one of the most talented players in Europe: the almost legendary series of Mike James (22-5 straddling the fourth quarter and extra time) propelled the Roca Team towards a decisive match. For which the people of Strasbourg will not live as expiatory victims. The proof with their 9
Future development.
