No. 0 Okobo was Monaco's No. 1 on Thursday
It was AS Monaco's final game of a club-changing 2022 and it wanted to finish it with a win. It wasn't easy, as Monaco was without Jordan Loyd and superstar guard Mike James battled foul trouble all game long.
Luckily for Coach Sasa Obradovic's team, Elie Okobo was ready to deliver when the going got tough, playing some of the best basketball of his career in the final 7 minutes of the game.
Zalgiris led most of the way and held a 54-64 advantage late in the fourth quarter. Yakuba Ouattara rescued Monaco with a couple of three-pointers but neither team seemed to find its rhythm early in the fourth quarter. That, of course, favored the team that had the lead, and Zalgiris held on to a 63-68 edge with 7 minutes remaining.
There was a turning point in the game, however. Kevarrius Hayes missed an open dunk, Arnas Butkevicius got the rebound and couldn't score either. Okobo brought Monaco within 66-68 and once James returned, he was more comfortable in a two-point guard system. Okobo was active on defense, too, getting 3 steals. After the first one, Ouatarra scored again. Okobo's next two steals led him to fastbreak slams. All of a sudden, with some help from Jaron Blossomgame, Monaco led 78-74 with 2 minutes left.
Zalgiris had not said its final word and got within 80-79 already in the final minute. Okobo finished a critical offense with a step-back triple and once Edgaras Ulanovas hit 3 free throws, he drew a foul and split 2 attempts for an 84-82 score. Monaco's defense did the rest, as Zalgiris's final shot, a three-point attempt by Rolands Smits, did not go in and took place after the final buzzer.
Game Videos
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FC Barcelona-AS Monaco | Playoffs Game 4 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:20
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/05/02/E2jE1FhKXxWGowT6lp8lUBHRABQWb054-1746220519769.jpg]()
Diallo's big dunk! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night
- 00:13
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James finds Theis! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:10
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Blossomgame's two-handed dunk! Motorola Magic Moment
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FC Barcelona-AS Monaco | Playoffs Game 3 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:15
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Diallo's big block! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:27
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/04/25/sj48gClWyAbmzcz6b4EWrdbLAyfZX8YF-1745613987862.jpg]()
Monaco Showtime! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night
- 00:56
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/04/25/5MDZZUMWmSnDeXB3gejIcDzwOa4WPMo2-1745619717657.jpg]()
Alpha Diallo: 'It's really hard to beat us'
- 01:15
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Mam Jaiteh: 'If we play like this defensively, we will do good'
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/c434196f-2c3b-4a3c-9e75-9bb1358ab5db.jpg]()
AS Monaco-FC Barcelona | PO Game 2 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:12
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Tarpey’s big driving dunk! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:28
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Jaiteh’s poster dunk! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:17
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From defense to slam-dunk offense! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:14
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/6f250613-2b31-4806-8f7a-043b7c847f44.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A94%3A83]()
Jaiteh’s diving hustle! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:07
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Diallo’s chasedown block! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:26
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Tarpey's big block! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night
- 00:58
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/04/23/01Vb0KNent3LNoG2l7eoYqnJZ2Qn45Kr-1745438152702.jpg]()
Daniel Theis: 'Matthew Strazel sets the tone for our defense'
- 00:55
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/04/23/6OXuS7cMklN446eP9hQKXFHJSR9vod3x-1745438098489.jpg]()
Elie Okobo: 'We showed great character today'
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/52666067-1016-45a4-b5ff-200e06f4cb13.jpg]()
AS Monaco-FC Barcelona | PO Game-1 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:12
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Theis throws it down! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:11
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James turns defense into offense! Motorola Magic Moment
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Anadolu Efes Istanbul-Zalgiris Kaunas | RS Round 34 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:56
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Mike James: 'We can celebrate a little bit'
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LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne-AS Monaco | RS Round 34 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/7246b817-834e-4575-9145-557f6e3c343c.jpg?crop=1920%3A1080%3Anowe%3A0%3A0]()
The EuroLeague & Friends gang are joined by Nick Calathes for episode 22
- 02:30
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/04/03/xfHjw4e3ivbQ5DcgKiDHjNcUgvWxxMBy-1743709548826.jpg]()
Sylvain Francisco: 'I just can't wait for next season'
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/2f100722-49f2-4f8a-91a6-6ee309d18b44.jpg]()
Zalgiris Kaunas-Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade | RS Round 33 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/4990cf7f-d53c-41a1-9be1-9ff5569e3f25.jpg]()
AS Monaco-Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens | RS Round 33 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 01:24
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/03/27/Gzj88ZfNdChzYaAZVFvz6JRS3IGDK6gX-1743112389467.jpg]()
Jaron Blossomgame: 'We played Monaco basketball’
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/c1bd3fde-2cc7-4e1d-be77-e2f10912bfdf.jpg]()
Olympiacos Piraeus-AS Monaco | RS Round 32 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/d1f75b0d-8e94-470b-969c-3a3a087bd10a.jpg]()
LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne-Zalgiris Kaunas | RS Round 32 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:16
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Jaiteh’s ferocious finish! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:10
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James feeds Theis for the flush! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:14
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/0b7754d2-35c6-49ca-93f2-ccd0882bc2a3.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A141%3A61]()
Smailagic throws it down in traffic! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:13
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/4570c537-a9cc-49b6-8027-ebb6ec8bf5e3.jpg?crop=769%3A433%3Anowe%3A83%3A62]()
Birutis hammers home the alley-oop! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/27af245d-b7db-42ac-b941-f0defd4e2f4e.jpg]()
AS Monaco-Zalgiris Kaunas | RS Round 31 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:20
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/f3d0434b-74e0-4fe2-b600-fa6ed987e916.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A77%3A90]()
Okobo with a classy jumper to close the half! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:09
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Wong finds Smailagic for the slam! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/bbefab8e-64cb-4194-aeda-27e69478c7c2.jpg]()
FC Barcelona-Zalgiris Kaunas | RS Round 30 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:15
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/919dabec-43fd-4117-8994-bc871581841f.jpg?crop=946%3A532%3Anowe%3A238%3A122]()
Dunston’s dunk! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:45
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/03/20/BbZDEy5RVm7IO1o1cjC3PYFrCnqgaoHs-1742504190928.jpg]()
Mike James: 'We played with more energy than we have been'
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/9682cc5e-edb7-448f-81f3-5ab310c55399.jpg]()
AS Monaco-Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul | RS Round 30 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:17
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/0b307184-8b8b-477c-92b9-04125dbac038.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A68%3A95]()
Diallo with a clutch dunk! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:24
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/ccd82b08-77cc-4e9f-aab8-0b657afd0569.jpg?crop=1240%3A698%3Anowe%3A46%3A20]()
Theis with a monster dunk! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:17
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/47314843-d811-453a-9bb7-7d5f9e2f51d4.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A56%3A45]()
What a block from Blossomgame! Motorola Magic Moment:
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/9e0b1340-2909-42b9-86d4-dccc40a67987.jpg]()
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv-AS Monaco | RS Round 29 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:33
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/03/13/aY6ZuSHQ1ckQI5JESBa6iX64VHfSkg5D-1741901436853.jpg]()
Francisco for the win! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night
- 01:59
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/03/13/wQHQCvSu3j71zNl41U5hGuEcrx6FXY2N-1741899200577.jpg]()
Sylvain Francisco: 'I knew I was gonna make it!'
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/005ea570-3a38-4dbf-8483-c9324e93d388.jpg]()
Zalgiris Kaunas-Paris Basketball | RS Round 29 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:14
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/6b8ebc9f-b1bd-4902-8437-7dce7c005520.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A100%3A84]()
Jaiteh capitalizes on James’s no-look pass! Motorola Magic Moment
When the dust settled, Okobo had finished the game with 22 points on 10-of-11 free-throw shooting, 4 rebounds, 9 assists and 4 steals, good for a PIR of 35. It was close to his career-high, 37 PIR, with LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne against Panathinaikos Athens on October 29, 2021. Okobo rescued Monaco on a day Loyd was not available and James finished the game with a PIR of -3. His previous season-low PIR was 12.
"We fought. We fought a lot. They had a lot of easy one-on-ones, easy second chances in the first half, and we corrected it. We did a much better job," Okobo said after the game. "We found the way to move the ball better and everybody was involved. I am just trying to win for the team. It was good, we fought and were aggressive. We didn't give up at home and before the end of the year, it is special, it is good."