Bayern – Monaco 78-83: Double with Mike James at his best

Mike James fired one “crazy” shot after the other and Monaco celebrated the away win at Bayern (83:78) in the 21st game of the EuroLeague. The explosive guard took over the baton from Danilo Andjusic from the middle of the third period and broke up every defensive effort by the hosts, who simply couldn’t do anything about it.

Neither Cory Walden’s 26 points nor Vladimir Luτσιiτς’s efforts in the final were enough for Bayern, who surrendered to the talent and madness of Mike James, who finished the game with 26 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists.

The race

The game had a good pace from the first few minutes with Corey Walden doing most of the work for the hosts. With neither team appearing capable of building a safety differential, executive consistency from Bayern’s main point guard proved important. In the second ten minutes, the hosts kept the upper hand for a long time (they reached +7 in 17′), but a three-minute fire from Monaco followed.

After Mike James took a step forward in attack and the big ones controlled the … air movements, the guests scored twelve unanswered points in about three minutes and went into the dressing room in the lead (35:40).

And if the 17 points with 5/7 trebles from the hands of Corey Walden was a…problem for the French defence, that wasn’t enough to damage them more in the first half – especially since the rest of his players had Andrea Trinkieri 1/7 from the periphery.

After the break, Corey Walden was silent, but not Danilo Andjusic. The Monaco guard retaliated against his opponent’s… three-point fire, he had 3/3 of the 6m75 and was the main reason the visitors reacted quickly to the good German start. And while Andrea Trinkieri was looking for ways to limit Danilo Andjusic’s action, Mike James was taking…steps forward. Together, he picked up his gun and led the difference to +10 (56-66) in the 32nd minute of the game.

The Bayern players didn’t stop fighting, they put pressure on the defence, Vladimir Luτσιiτς took the initiative, but each time Mike James had the answers. He shot very hard (everything in defence) and kept Monaco ahead until the final, each time breaking the psychology of the hosts.

Somehow Monaco exited the Audi Dome victorious and caught up with Bayern with eight wins.

THE REFEREES: Belosevic-Racis-Rocha.

THE TEN MINUTES: 18-19, 35-40, 54-62, 78-83.

BAGGER (Trinkieri): Wheeler – Bab 4, Thomas 9 (1 three points, 5 rebounds), Walden 26 (3/3 two points, 5/10 three points, 5/5 shots, 5 assists, 4 steals), Rivers 3 ( 1/6 shot), Hunter 8 (6 rebounds), Yaramaz 6 (1/4 two points, 1/6 three points, 1/2 shots), Luchic 14 (2), Obst, Rubit 6 (7 rebounds), Cisco , Radosevic.

MONACO (Obradovic): Bacon 11 (4/8 two points, 3/4 shots, 4 rebounds), Westerman 2, Thomas 7 (1), Diallo 3 (1/4 three points), Motum 5 (1), Motiejunas 10 ( 5 rebounds) ), Watara 3 (1), Andjusic 16 (1/3 two points, 3/3 three points, 5/5 shots), Hall, James 26 (5/10 two points, 5/7 three points, 1 /3 shots, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 errors).

Team Stats – Bayern: 19/32 two points, 10/29 three points, 10/11 shots, 27 rebounds (19 defensive + 8 offensive), 14 assists, 6 steals, 9 errors.

Group Stats – Monaco: 18/35 two points, 12/17 three points, 11/16 shots, 27 rebounds (24 defense + 3 offense), 12 assists, 3 steals, 9 errors, 1 block.

The next commitments of the teams: For Bayern, the away test against Baskonia follows (21.1.), while Monaco … is having a hell of a week because they will first play against Villeurbanne (postponed) and then against Zenit. Both games will be played away from home.