Monaco’s Roca Team clinched its second consecutive Euroleague victory on Wednesday, defeating Maccabi Tel Aviv 85-79 at home. Despite a lackluster first half and challenging conditions both on and off the court, Monaco managed to turn the tide in the second half, securing the crucial win.
The match, held at Monaco’s Gaston-Médecin Hall, faced lower attendance due to severe weather on the Côte d’Azur and heightened security concerns as the game was classified as high risk by the Monegasque government. Monaco, already struggling in the domestic league with two losses in three games, was further handicapped by the absence of key recruits Nick Calathes (knee) and Furkan Korkmaz (hamstring). Head coach Sasa Obradovic had been calling for reinforcements, adding to the pressure on the team.
Monaco’s performance raised some concerns, as the team appeared to still be in the early stages of building chemistry. With a tougher challenge ahead against Barcelona on October 16, they will need to improve if they hope to continue their Euroleague success.
Elie Okobo, who was instrumental in the second half, led Monaco’s comeback. After a difficult start and a five-point deficit in the first quarter (21-23), the team’s shooting faltered further in the second quarter. Maccabi extended its lead to seven points, but Monaco, led by captain Mike James (13 points, three assists, two steals by halftime), closed the gap to finish the first half trailing 41-46.
Coach Obradovic’s halftime speech appeared to ignite the team. Donatas Motiejunas, who had struggled in the first half, found his rhythm and scored nine points to help Monaco take the lead (53-52) midway through the third quarter. Okobo’s resurgence was key, as he scored all of his 17 points after halftime, guiding Monaco to victory in the final stages of the game.
