While Pleiß is only a spectator as the titleholder is eliminated, Theis and Monaco will compete for the EuroLeague title on Sunday.
Basketball World Champion Daniel Theis can hope for a triumph in the EuroLeague, but for Tibor Pleiß, the dream of a third title has burst. With AS Monaco, Theis reached the final at the Final Four tournament in Abu Dhabi, with the Monegasques prevailing against Olympiacos Piraeus in the semi-final with a score of 78:68 (35:32).
On Sunday (7:00 PM), Theis and his teammates will face Fenerbahce Istanbul for the title. The Turkish top team had previously defeated Panathinaikos Athens, preventing a German final duel. Pleiß did not play in the 76:82 (33:38) defeat of the titleholder in the second semi-final. The Greek duel will be for third place on Sunday.
Monaco made the final clear with a strong defensive performance. In nearly 18 minutes on the court, Theis also played a part, with the former NBA star, who moved to Monaco in February, scoring five points and four rebounds. Piraeus didn’t have enough with the 31 points of the French Olympic second Evan Fournier.
Pleiß, who recently played a minor role at Panathinaikos, was missing from the squad. The 35-year-old had to give way for the French top player Mathias Lessort, who had returned to the squad after a long injury break. Without Pleiß, the Greeks ran behind an early deficit in vain, with former Bamberg player Devon Hall standing out with 18 points for Fenerbahce.
Theis and Monaco will compete for the EuroLeague title on Sunday.