On Sunday, December 1, The Roca Team secured a 109-94 victory over JL Bourg in Betclic Elite, marking a successful league debut for new head coach Vassilis Spanoulis…
The Greek coach, fresh off a EuroLeague win against Panathinaikos, showcased his impact with Monaco outpacing Bourg in a tightly contested match in the Principality.
The match remained even through much of the game, tied at 84-86 in the 34th minute. Monaco pulled away in the final five minutes, driven by Mike James, who contributed six key points in the fourth quarter alongside seven assists overall.
Despite the loss, JL Bourg coach Frédéric Fauthoux praised his team, saying, “The guys responded very well. They can be proud. Monaco had to deliver a high-level performance to win.” Bourg took an early lead in the first quarter, bolstered by Maxime Courby’s three-pointer, but a second-quarter surge from Monaco shifted momentum. The visitors capitalised on Bourg’s struggles at the free-throw line and maintained their energy to outlast their opponents.
Joël Ayayi was a standout for JL Bourg with 22 points and four assists, though fatigue caught up with him in the final quarter. “I felt good throughout the game but was less effective with free throws in the end,” he said post-match.
The defeat marked JL Bourg’s fifth consecutive loss at home in all competitions. The team will look to break the streak in upcoming matches against Hamburg and Le Mans. Despite the setback, Fauthoux and Ayayi remain optimistic about their progress, emphasizing the importance of building on their strong showing against a formidable Monaco side.
Monaco’s victory also saw them rise to fourth place in the standings, leapfrogging Bourg, who dropped to fifth. The next game will see the Roca Team take on Greek side Olympiacos in the EuroLeague on the evening of Wednesday, December 4.
