Monaco dominates Le Mans once again in Betclic Elite

Mathieu Warnier, Media365: published on Sunday, March 29, 2026 at 9:15 PM

As the two teams faced off for the fourth time this season, Monaco confirmed their superiority over Le Mans by winning the closing clash of the 24th day of Betclic Elite.

Monaco continues to be a thorn in Le Mans’ side this season. Having already defeated MSB this season in the SuperCoupe final, Leaders Cup final, and league match, the “Roca Team” quickly gained the upper hand against the Sarthoise team in the closing match of the 24th day of Betclic Elite. Despite Manceaux taking an early lead with a three-point shot by Travante Williams (12 points), it was the Principality’s players who quickly surged ahead. A 14-2 run allowed them to surpass a ten-point lead before finishing the first quarter with a ten-point cushion after a last basket by Juhann Begarin (12 points).

Monaco held firm

While Le Mans narrowed the gap to two possessions at the start of the second quarter, the Monégasques increased their intensity at the Gaston Médecin Hall. Terry Tarpey scored his only basket of the night to extend their lead to 17 points with just over three minutes left before halftime. Finishing strongly, the “Roca Team” headed into the break with a 19-point lead thanks to Nemanja Nedović’s long-range shot (13 points, 7 assists). They passed the 20-point mark early in the third quarter after a 7-0 run concluded by Matthew Strazel (17 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists). From there, both teams traded blows as the “Roca Team” introduced Maxim Klitschko, son of former boxer and current Kiev mayor Vitali Klitschko.

Okobo loses his cool

Monaco entered the final quarter with a comfortable lead. However, Elie Okobo’s temper flared (15 points, 5 assists) after a clash with Ugo Doumbia led to the Monégasque point guard being ejected. Although Le Mans tried to reduce the deficit to below ten points, Monaco regained their composure to secure a 14-point victory (99-85), their 20th win of the season. The MSB, on the other hand, drops out of the Top 6 after their second loss in three games. Most importantly, Monaco maintains their dominance over Le Mans ahead of a fifth meeting this season in the Coupe de France final on April 25 at the Accor Arena in Paris-Bercy.