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Terry Tarpey during Monaco’s victory in Valencia.
Credit: Getty Images
AS Monaco has confirmed its excellent health in recent weeks by signing a fifth consecutive victory in the Euroleague, Thursday in the home of co-leader Valencia (101-92) which it joins in the ranking after 21 days.
The Monegasques (14 wins for 7 losses) also share the lead with Hapoel Tel Aviv, precisely the other team that came to win at the Roig Arena this season in the competition, on October 15. This shows the performance of the Roca Team which, despite the last minute absence of its German pivot Daniel Thei, injured in one hand, signed a benchmark victory and perfectly completed its Spanish trilogy, after having defeated FC Barcelona in Catalonia (90-74) and Real Madrid in the Principality (100-95) at the end of 2025.
The Valencians in turn bit the dust, initially caught in their own game, that of a basketball at a wild pace, then slowed down by a team concerned in defense, which limited the opposing outside skill (8/25), and altruistic in attack (28 assists) in the wake of Mike James author of a double-double (14 pts and 10 offerings).
The Monegasques took control shortly before the quarter of an hour of play (34-32, 14th) thanks to a “small ball” game (a small five) which, with Jaron Blossomgame and Terry Tarpey inside, somewhat dictated by the absence of Theis, posed serious defensive problems for the Spaniards.
The visitors then took off thanks to a high-flying second quarter (27-14, 53-42 at half-time), never to let up again, managing to deliver a warning shot each time Valencia went back below the 10-point mark.
As at the start of the last quarter, where Nemanja Nedovic (16 pts to 4/5 to 3 pts) scored the first 11 points, including three banderillas from afar, to push Valencia back 15 lengths (87-72).
Besides the Serbian and James, four players crossed the 10 point mark, Nikola Mirotic (13 pts at 3/3 to 3 pts), Kevarrius Hayes (15 pts and 6 rebounds), essential in the last quarter, Alpha Diallo (17 pts, 2 rebounds, 2 pd and 2 interceptions) and Blossomgame (14 pts and 3 rebounds).
