The Roca Team secured two consecutive wins under new Head Coach Vassilis Spanoulis over the weekend, the first a thrilling EuroLeague victory against Panathinaikos, and the second a strong conquest of Bourg-en-Bresse in the Betclic Elite league. The side is now looking ahead to a home game versus Olympiacos, Spanoulis’ former team.

AS Monaco Basketball began their successful weekend with a 91-88 win over Panathinaikos on Friday 29th November.

Despite being pushed to their limits by the Greek side, Monaco held their nerve in the final moments to snatch the win. With the game tied at 85-85 in the closing minutes, key players like Mike James, John Brown and Mathias Lessort played pivotal roles, while standout performances from guards such as Elie Okobo and Jordan Loyd ensured Monaco pulled away with crucial points in the closing seconds.

The win marks a significant achievement for Monaco, especially as they came from behind after a close first half, maintaining their momentum and staying competitive in the EuroLeague standings.

Then came a second victory under new Head Coach Vassilis Spanoulis, with the Roca Team beating Bourg-en-Bresse in the domestic French league on Sunday 1st December.

The team showed spirit and purpose as they took on the tough opponents, flying past the century mark with a 109-94 win. High scorers on the night were Alpha Diallo with 17 points, followed by Loyd with 16 and James with 15.

Roca Team pivot Donatas Motiejunas praised his team’s opponents, saying, “I’ve been here for several years, and I don’t remember a season where we’ve had an easy game [against Bourg-en-Bresse]. Sometimes we win, sometimes we lose, but we always fight to the maximum. Obviously, leaving here with the victory is a good thing, especially considering our travel conditions.”

The back-to-back wins have been a boon for Coach Spanoulis.

“This is how we want to build our identity as a team,” he said after the Bourg-en-Bresse game. “Let’s say that for me, the important thing is not who will score, but rather who will make the right decision and what is the best moment to score. We have to become a family. We have to become united, care for each other, and have team spirit. This is very important for the group. The most important thing is to be ready for every game, to have the team spirit to win. I want to say that it is not easy, once again, for the players to adhere so quickly to my philosophy.”

The Monaco side is now looking ahead to a much-anticipated home game on Wednesday 4th December. The EuroLeague fixture will see AS Monaco Basketball face Olympiacos BC, Spanoulis’s former team, where he played for eleven seasons and won eight club championship titles.

Tickets for the game are on sale now. Click here for more information.

Read related:

Vassilis Spanoulis confirmed as new Head Coach of AS Monaco Basket

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Photo source: AS Monaco Basketball