Zvezda added Jordan Nwora to a long list of injuries, but Moneke was ready to deliver
Moneke's great first half inspires Zvezda past ASVEL
Rungtynių ataskaitos
3 Minutė skaityti
Regular Season
Round 7 of 38
Regular Season
Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet BelgradeCZV
7965
LDLC ASVEL VilleurbanneASV
Overview
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Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade showed up for its Round 7 game against LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne without top scorer Jordan Nwora, who joined a long list of injured players that already featured Devonte' Graham, Isaiah Canaan, Jasiel Rivero, Tyson Carter and Joel Bolomboy. Its most recent signing, Jared Butler, was not yet registered. The remaining Zvezda players turned the game into an opportunity and Chima Moneke made sure his team kept its winning streak alive, leading it to a 79-65 victory with one of the best games of his EuroLeague career.
Moneke stepped up early, finding Donatas Motiejunas for an easy layup and then scoring his first points. By the end of the first quarter, Moneke had the highest PIR in the game (8) and the best was still to come.
When ASVEL got within 29-25, Moneke scored in transition and got a quick defensive stop at the other end, which allowed Stefan Miljenovic to score a fastbreak layup and prompted the visitors to call timeout at 33-25. Moneke followed with a coast-to-coast layup, a pair of free throws and a wild, off-balance basket to give Zvezda a 39-25 lead at halftime.
Moneke had an impact in all the points in a 10-0 run, an on-fire moment that allowed his team to break the game open right before the break. At halftime, Moneke had a near-perfect stat line: 14 points on 5-of-5 two-point shooting and 4-of-5 on free throws, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals and 3 fouls drawn for a PIR of 24.
"Defense. Eight points [allowed] in the second quarter, that's pretty f---ing good," Moneke said at the break.
Moneke remained unstoppable after the break, hitting a highly contested jumper and adding a three-pointer off the dribble. By the time he cooled off a bit, Zvezda was well on its way to the win and its fans had been celebrating for many minutes. Semi Ojeleye and Ognjen Dobric each added 11 points. Moneke finished the game with a PIR of 35, close to his best-ever effort (37), with 24 points on 9-of-10 shooting, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals.
"[I'm] happy. For us to be a serious team, these are the games you have to win. On to the next one," Moneke said after the game, before talking about Zvezda's fans and their support. "I think it's one of the best feelings any human being can feel, to be loved and wanted for who I am. I have no choice but to give my all. I love these fans to death and I don't want to be anywhere else."
Zvezda's longest winning streak in the EuroLeague is seven wins from December 2016 to January 2017. It will look for its sixth consecutive victory against Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv at Aleksandar Nikolic Hall in Belgrade on Thursday.
