Monaco Basket Association (MBA) made an impressive mark in its first home game of the Ligue Féminine 2 (LF2) season with an 89-41 victory over Rouen-Bihorel.  This collective performance was delivered at Salle Gaston-Médecin in front of a crowd of nearly 600 spectators.

With a score more than doubling that of its opponent, MBA had five players score over 10 points. The team worked together to share responsibilities, registering 31 assists on the evening.

MBA’s bench also delivered an exceptional performance, contributing 40 points compared to just six from Rouen-Bihorel’s bench.

Monaco built an early lead of 36-23 heading into halftime, but the second half was where the team truly asserted its dominance. The final two quarters saw Monaco outscore Rouen-Bihorel 25-11 and 28-7, respectively, finishing with a 48-point advantage.

COLLECTIVE STRENGTH SETS THE TONE

This opening performance showed that the team did not depend on an individual standout player, but rather on its collective strength. Stepha M’Baye said, “This was a game we knew we had to win. We had some very good preseason games, and we wanted to show our loyal supporters that we were capable of winning this one.”

Despite the victory, M’Baye also stressed the importance of keeping perspective as the season gets underway.

“LF2 is a league that always has its share of surprises, so we have to remain humble. It’s up to us to keep working every week so that we approach every game with the same mindset and determination. We’ll take stock at the end of the season and see where we stand.”

Head coach Manu Body acknowledged that MBA took some time to settle into the game before finding its rhythm.

“It took us a little while to get into the game. It was our first league match, so I think the players were a little tense because of what was at stake,” he said. “Then, little by little, we managed to settle into our basketball.”

Body highlighted the third and fourth quarters in particular, which allowed him to rotate the team and continue sharing responsibilities across the squad.

“We played very good third and fourth quarters, which allowed us to give everyone playing time and share the responsibilities. That’s the most important thing.”

With its first LF2 game now behind it, MBA begins the 2026-2027 season with an impressive victory and an early demonstration of what the team is capable of building throughout the season.

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Photo credit: John Rellegue / MBA