Monaco and Fenerbahce go head-to-head for the second time with the Turkish team in control of the series after a thrilling 91-95 overtime triumph on Wednesday.
Game Notes: Monaco vs. Fenerbahce
As so often this season, Nigel Hayes-Davis was the architect of that success, combining 19 points with 7 rebounds in nearly 40 minutes on the floor. A more surprising star was Nate Sestina, who hit 4 of his 5 three-point attempts to help Fener enjoy its usual excellence from beyond the arc, making 14 of 30 shots from deep.
Improved perimeter defense will be a priority for Monaco, which will also look for greater accuracy from its own deep game after going just 8-for-27 in Game 1. In particular, backcourt stars Mike James (1-for-6) and Elie Okobo (2-for-8) need to be more effective.
- Fenerbahce and Monaco never played an official game before the 2021-22 season. They split home wins during this regular season.
- In Game 1, Fenerbahce pulled out a 91-95 overtime win behind Nigel Hayes-Davis who had 19 points and earned MVP of the Round honor with a PIR of 23.
- In Monaco's home 92-78 win over Fenerbahce in February 2022, Alpha Diallo scored a career-high 24 points.
- Last season in Istanbul, Monaco's Yakuba Ouattara had career highs in points (19), three-pointers made (5) and PIR (19) in a 98-94 overtime loss.
- Monaco guard Mike James was a backcourt mate of Fenerbahce point guard Nick Calathes for large parts of two seasons, from 2016 to 2018, at Panathinaikos Athens.
- James has made a career-best 6 triples twice in his career against Fenerbahce; first for AX Armani Exchange Milan in December 2018, and then for CSKA Moscow in November 2019.
- James dropped 31 points on Fenerbahce in November 2019 playing for CSKA Moscow in an 88-70 win. James's scoring total included a career-best 6-for-8 three-point and 9-for-9 free-throw shooting and he accumulated a performance index rating of 38. He earned the MVP of the Round honor for his performance.
- Scottie Wilbekin set his career highs in points (37) and PIR (37) playing for Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv against Monaco in November 2021. He won the MVP of the Round honor for that performance in a 95-84 win.
- Fenerbahce guard Sehmus Hazer collected a career-high 3 steals in a road loss against Monaco in February 2022.
- Fenerbahce guard Tyler Dorsey pulled down a career-best 7 rebounds playing for Olympiacos Piraeus against Monaco in November 2021.
- Fenerbahce guard Yam Madar posted his career-high in index rating of 18 for Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade against Monaco in January 2023.