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Day: 8 January 2025

Basketball: Roca Team surge past Blois to reach Coupe de France quarter-finals

by: Elsa Carpenter
08/01/2025

AS Monaco Basketball have continued their 2025 clean sheet with a convincing 99-84 win over ADA Blois. The victory earned the Roca Team a place in the Coupe de France quarter-finals.

The first week of 2025 has been busy for AS Monaco Basketball, who have played – and won – all three of their games.

From a EuroLeague fixture against Alba Berlin and a Betclic Elite challenge against Chalon to the most recent game, a Coupe de France matchup versus ADA Blois on 7th January, the Roca Team have managed to secure three back-to-back wins, all while resting key players.

For the Blois game, Head Coach Vassilis Spanoulis opted to rest Mike James, Donatas Motiejunas, and Nick Calathes, while Alpha Diallo remained sidelined due to injury. Yet, even without these usually crucial names, the Monaco side delivered a dominant performance, with Elie Okobo and Jaron Blossomgame taking much of the spotlight with their combined 42 points.

“It’s important to show that we can perform at a high level regardless of the circumstances,” said Spanoulis post-match. “The players stepped up, especially those who don’t always get as many minutes, and they delivered exactly what we needed.”

A strong start despite early resistance

The match began with a twist, as new Coupe de France rules granted the lower-tier Blois a seven-point head start. The Loire team maintained their advantage for much of the first quarter, but Monaco eventually found their rhythm.

Alongside Okobo and Blossomgame, Matthew Strazel and Jordan Loyd played pivotal roles, with Loyd building on his excellent form from the weekend’s EuroLeague win. Georgios Papagiannis made a key impact off the bench, both defensively and offensively, helping the Roca Team overturn their deficit and take a 54-47 lead by halftime.

Dominance in the second half

The third quarter saw Monaco’s collective power on full display. Juhann Begarin’s baseline dunk and a spectacular putback from Blossomgame extended the lead to 14 points, forcing Blois into a timeout. By the end of the quarter, the Roca Team had pushed the gap further to 18.

Blossomgame, who contributed 19 points and 17 rebounds, praised the team’s mentality, saying, “We were focused on getting the job done and sticking to our game plan. Everyone contributed, and that’s what makes this team special.”

Although Blois briefly reduced the deficit to 11 points in the final quarter, Monaco quickly regained control. Okobo sealed the result with a late flurry, ensuring a smooth passage into the Coupe de France quarter-finals.

Eyes on Barcelona

AS Monaco Basketball will next face FC Barcelona at home in Gaston Médecin on 9th January.

“Tonight was about taking care of business,” said Spanoulis of the Blois game. “Now we look ahead to a big challenge against one of Europe’s top teams. We’ll be ready.”

Read related:

AS Monaco Basketball: all the home and away games this January

 

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Photo source: AS Monaco Basketball

School registrations open for the 2025-2026 academic year in Monaco

by: Cassandra Tanti
08/01/2025

The government has announced the opening of registrations for the 2025-2026 school year for primary and secondary students in public and private institutions across Monaco. The online process is available around the clock, providing convenience and accessibility for families.

Parents can now register their children for the upcoming school year using the MonGuichet.mc platform, accessible on computers, tablets, and smartphones, and available in English. The system operates 24/7, allowing families to complete the process at their convenience. For those who prefer or require paper forms, registrations can also be completed through the Direction de l’Éducation Nationale, de la Jeunesse et des Sports (DENJS) or directly at the school of their choice.

For primary schools, children aged three or turning three during the first trimester of the school year are eligible for enrolment if they are Monégasque or residents of Monaco. The registration period for public primary schools begins on 6th January and runs until 21st March 2025, while private schools under contract will accept registrations from 13th January to 28th March 2025. In cases where children do not meet the eligibility requirements, parents must submit a formal exemption request to the DENJS.

For secondary education, enrolment is open to Monégasque and resident students, as well as those with existing exemptions who are currently enrolled in Monaco’s public schools up to Year 9 (3ème). For the Collège Charles III, registrations will take place from 1st May to 20th June. Lycée Albert I and Lycée Rainier III will accept applications between 13th January and 20th June, while Lycée François d’Assise-Nicolas Barré has set its registration period from 13th January to 2nd June.

Post-secondary programmes at Lycée Rainier III, including options such as management and hospitality courses, will begin accepting registrations on 15th January, with the first phase closing on 2nd April. For students pursuing sports-focused schedules, applications for specialised classes with adjusted hours will be open between 17th March and 15th May.

Exemption requests are required for families residing outside Monaco, seeking a school outside their designated catchment area, or enrolling a child whose age does not align with the specified level. These applications must be submitted to the DENJS by 1st May, except for domicile-based requests, which are accepted until 15th May.

Families seeking more information are encouraged to visit MonGuichet.mc or contact the DENJS directly.

Monaco Life is produced by real multi-media journalists writing original content. See more in our free newsletter, follow our Podcasts on Spotify, and check us out on Threads,  Facebook,  Instagram,  LinkedIn and Tik Tok.

Photo by Monaco Life