Monaco ambushes Galatasaray, 79-91

AS Monaco left Sinan Erden Dome with a valuable 79-91 win over host Galatasaray Doga Sigorta Istanbul on Wednesday night. The visitors could have secured a ticket for the next stage, but a three-pointer by Can Korkmaz with 2 seconds remaining allowed the hosts to save the tie-breaker to stay alive in the group. AS Monaco was led by Jaleel O’Brien, who scored a career-high 25 points on 9-of-10 shooting from the line and drew 7 fouls for a performance index rating of 24. He was followed by Dee Bost, Yakuba Outtara and Anthony Clemmons with 18, 16 and 13 points, respectively. Alex Poythress posted 19 points and 7 rebounds, Tai Webster had 18 points, 6 assists and 4 steals and Zach Auguste contributed 16 points for Galatasaray.

Webster had a strong start with back-to-back three-pointers that gave Galatasaray its first lead at 9-8, but the visitors replied from long distance, too, as Bost buried a couple of triples of his own to make it 9-14 midway through the first quarter. Although Aaron Harrison tied the game later, Clemmons took over with 8 straight points to build a 16-22 edge for Monaco that Poythress reduced from the line to 21-26 after 10 minutes. Ayberk Olmaz and Webster combined to restart the game at 27-27 and the game remained close for the best part of the second quarter. Bost, for the visitors, and Olmaz, for the hosts, traded baskets to keep it tight, 34-33. Emir Gokalp extended Galatasaray's lead to 3 points with a floater, but those were the only points his team managed to score in the following 4 minutes. Monaco did not excel on offense either, but found timely free throws and buckets by Bost, Eric Buckner and O’Brien to outscore Monaco 1-10 and reach halftime leading 37-43.

The defenses kept prevailing as Poythress and Bost were the only ones to score for each side over the first 3 minutes after the break. Galatasaray reacted when Zach Auguste woke up and scored 7 of his team’s next 9 points, making it a one-possession game, 48-49. Although Auguste kept rocking inside, Monaco didn’t tremble and found Outtara outside for a triple and later O’Brien and Clemmons inside for a 50-56 edge. Four more points by Auguste and free throws by Korkmaz and Gokalp helped the hosts keep Monaco in sight, 57-62, entering the last quarter. O’Brien came up big for the visitors and scored Monaco’s first 6 points, followed by a corner three by Outtara that created a double-digit advantage, 61-71, with 6 minutes to go. Outtara continued punishing from deep, as he made a four-point play to make it 66-80 and silence the arena later. Poythress tried to stop the fall and connected from deep, but O’Brien didn’t miss from the line right before Outtara signed a highlight-reel dunk to make it 71-88 entering the last minute. With the outcome in no doubt, Galatasaray focused on saving the point-difference to stay alive, and it did it thanks to a buzzer-beating three by Korkmaz that closed it at 79-91.

Outtara and O’Brien shine in the last quarter

Even though Monaco led the game for the best part of it, it didn’t secure the win until Jaleel O’Brien and Yakuba Outtara stepped up in the last quarter. They combined for 24 of the visitors’ last 29 points.

Galatasaray keep breathing

The hosts were close to elimination when they trailed 73-90 with 46 seconds to go. They needed to lose by less than 13 points to stay alive, and they managed to make it thanks to a couple of timely three-pointers by Tai Webster and Can Korkmaz, the last one with 2 seconds remaining.

Did you notice?

Contrary to what happened in the previous encounter, Monaco controlled the boards all game long. The visitors outrebounded Galatasaray 39-21 in Istanbul after losing the rebounding battle 46-30 at home.

Next round

Both teams will be in must-win situations to close the 7DAYS Eurocup Top16. Galatasaray Doga Sigorta Istanbul will visit Rytas Vilnius on Tuesday, March 3. AS Monaco will play at home against UNICS Kazan the next day.