In just his second game back from injury, the guard was dominant in Round 16
Trent Forrest-powered Baskonia sinks Monaco, wins sixth straight at home
Informes de partidos
3 Min lectura
Regular Season
Round 16 of 38
Regular Season
Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-GasteizKBA
8573
AS MonacoASM
Overview
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Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz playmaker Trent Forrest was doing a post-game interview on EuroLeague TV, answering a question about leading his team to a resounding win over AS Monaco, when his teammate Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot walked in front of the camera. The Frenchman hugged Forrest and said:
“He is back, and that’s the problem!”
And Luwawu-Cabarrot’s words rang so true.
Baskonia finally beat Monaco for the first time since October 2021, snapping its seven-game losing streak in their head-to-head games.
And Forrest, who returned last week after missing nine games with an injury, was everywhere in Baskonia’s 85-73 win.
“I try to impact the game whichever way I can. Setting the teammates up, playing defense, whatever [is needed]. Just trying to do my part,” said Forrest, who did all that and more.
He was his team’s second-best scorer with 17 points, making 5-of-7 field goals, while he paced the team with 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 blocks.
Forrest did all that in 24 minutes on the floor, during which Baskonia was a remarkable +30.
Even Gytis Radzevicius, who just recently joined the team, quickly learned what Forrest brings.
“I am new here, still trying to understand how I need to play, but Trent is playing really good after the injury. Today, he was our leader.”
Radzevicius was one of Baskonia four scorers in double figures. He had 12 points, just like Markus Howard, who barely played in the second half after picking up his fourth foul early in the third quarter and then his fifth soon after stepping back on the floor in the final frame.
But nothing could shake Baskonia on Wednesday night. Not even Monaco’s 0-14 run midway through the third that saw a 16-point lead all but evaporate. However, Forrest found a cutting Luwawu-Cabarrot, the team’s top scorer with 19 points, for a dunk, then Clement Frisch banked a triple and Matteo Spagnolo beat the shot-clock with a tough, long jumper. And just like that, the double-digit lead was restored.
After that, Baskonia had a reply any time Monaco tried to make a run.
“The guys were very focused, put a lot of energy on defense,” head coach Paolo Galbiati said.
It was his team’s sixth consecutive home win, but the return of Forrest is probably Baskonia’s biggest gain.
The next challenge for Baskonia, however, is to find an answer on the road, where the team has gone 0-7. If Baskonia wants to move up the standings and get closer to the postseason race, it has to start winning away from Vitoria-Gasteiz. And it will have its first chance to do so in 48 hours when it visits FC Barcelona.
