Monaco takes the lead in Eurocup final series

AS Monaco took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three 7DAYS EuroCup Finals series, which now moves to Russia for Game 2 on Friday – and, if necessary, Game 3 – in Kazan. Monaco seeks to win its first continental trophy. UNICS must win both remaining games to win the EuroCup for the second time.

AS Monaco 1-0 UNICS Kazan

AS Monaco opened the 7DAYS EuroCup Finals in style with an 89-87 victory over UNICS Kazan at Stade Louis II in a thriller with 10 lead changes in the fourth quarter alone and wasn’t decided until the final buzzer. Marcos Knight scored the go-ahead free throws with 27.6 seconds left, and Mathias Lessort made a pair of spectacular defensive plays down the stretch to preserve the win. Rob Gray scored 23 points to lead the winners, Lessort posted 17 points and 2 blocks, and Dee Bost tallied 16 points and 6 assists. Artem Klimenko scored a career-high 22, and Jordan Theodore paired 15 points with 8 assists for UNICS.