The AS Monaco basketball team, commonly known as the Roca Team, started their EuroCup season with a bang versus Morabanc Andorra on their turf, the Poliesportiu d’Andorra. The game was tightly contested right from tip-off but a colossal team effort edged Monaco to victory in the most crucial of moments with a solid 76-82 score at the buzzer.
Each Monegasque player brought their own contribution to the table, new signing Mathias Lessort got some big baskets in the paint while Abdou Ndoye applied himself more defensively by reaching for rebounds and getting in the way of Morabanc when it really mattered. The Roca Team put in all the necessary ingredients to compete in the European championship known as 7DAYS EuroCup. All the necessary ingredients except for three pointers, which team captain Dee Bost very much made up for in the closing minutes of the match up. Watch the red and whites in action below:
A satisfying victory for head coach Zvezdan Mitrovic no doubt, and a well deserved one at that. The Principality side trailed behind their Andorran opponents for a majority of the game but slowly caught up. With five minutes left in the fourth quarter and the scoreline at 67-67, Dee Bost stepped up and sunk the ball in from three point range, setting the tone for the remaining minutes.
The Roca Team walk away from Andorra with their first EuroCup victory and one that will not soon be forgotten. A win at this early stage in the season will surely serve as motivation and is telling of the red and whites’ thirst for success. The next match up will be at Stade Louis II on October 3 against Roanne for a regular season clash. Fans of the Roca Team will not have to wait long for the next European match up, as Monaco will face off against Lietkabelis at home again on October 7.
Featured image courtesy of AS Monaco Basket, Abdou Ndoye doing what he does best
