AS Monaco Basketball prepares to kick off their new season with a challenging away fixture at Le Portel on 27th September, marking the start of what promises to be another demanding season in the Betclic Elite.
The Roca Team’s schedule for this season is set to be quite intense, with their EuroLeague campaign beginning just days later on 1st October when they welcome Lithuanian powerhouse Zalgiris Kaunas to the Principality. This rapid transition between competitions is set to truly put Monaco’s basketball team under the test.
Among the standout games in Monaco’s opening weeks is a third-round trip to Paris on 11th October. This match holds particular importance as it reunites the two teams that have contested the last two French championship finals, setting up an early season confrontation between the country’s top basketball clubs.
Monaco’s first home league match follows a week later on 18th October against ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne. With both clubs competing in the EuroLeague, this encounter between the two top clubs representing the French league in Europe promises to be a unique contest.
Makoundou’s homecoming
Adding to the optimism surrounding the new season is the return of French international forward Yoan Makoundou. The 24-year old, who stands 2.07m, rejoins Monaco after spending two productive seasons on loan, first with Buducnost and then with Turkish club Turk Telecom.
His time away has been well spent. Last season in Turkey, Makoundou averaged 11 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game, demonstrating the development that has earned him a recent call-up to the French national team squad for Euro preparation, where he replaced the injured Mathias Lessort.
Reflecting on his return, Makoundou expressed genuine enthusiasm about rejoining the club. “I am happy to be back here in Monaco after having already spent a season here,” he said. “Getting back to the EuroLeague was an objective for me. During my seasons abroad I’ve progressed and I want to do even more to reach the next level.”
With Makoundou’s return strengthening the team, Monaco enters the season well-equipped to pursue their dual objectives of domestic and European success. The club’s philosophy, as outlined by Fedoricsev, centres on the belief that “regularity is the most important performance indicator in sport.”
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Main photo credit: AS Monaco Basketball