Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv dominated AS Monaco for the final 30 minutes for a 104-69 win on Thursday to force a fifth and deciding game for a ticket to the Final Four. Over the last three quarters, the score was 87-45.
There are so many stats and numbers to show how well Maccabi played, especially during a 20-0 run to open the second quarter. That gave Maccabi the lead for good. But it would not be fair to say that it decided the game. Because right after that run, Monaco had a 0-10 surge in which Elie Okobo drained back-to-back three-pointers to get within 39-36 with just less than 2 minutes to go until halftime.
After the second of those threes, the arena was a little deflated as Coach Oded Kattash called for a timeout. At that point, it was anybody’s game. But what Maccabi did for the final 2 minutes of the half put the game on a different trajectory.
Not only did the hosts score the last 8 points of the quarter to rebuild a double-digit advantage at the break, they did so but out hustling Monaco.
The first bucket of that run was a Bonzie Colson stick-back after Darrun Hilliard missed a three. Then Josh Nebo's quick switch on defense forced Okobo into a turnover. Maccabi capitalized on that with a Nebo tip-in, which was the third offensive rebound of that possession.
Hilliard then made things tough on Mike James, who missed a jumper. At the other end, Colson fought for an offensive rebound, which became a jump ball. He won the tip and eventually scored again. And finally, after Yakuba Outtara missed from deep in the final seconds of the quarter, Alex Poythress sprinted downcourt, drew a foul with 2.2 seconds left and sank 2 free throws.