Monaco’s Roca Team ended their three-game losing streak in the EuroLeague with an impressive 80-86 victory over Virtus Bologna on Thursday, January 23. Trailing for most of the game, Monaco mounted a spectacular comeback in the final quarter to secure the win and maintain their third-place standing.

The game seemed like a trap for Monaco, who had suffered defeats against Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Red Star Belgrade in recent weeks. Early on, the match tilted heavily in Bologna’s favour, with the Italian side surging to a 21-point lead. A 13-0 run at the start of the second quarter left Monaco reeling, but they managed to cut the deficit to eight points by halftime. “We found our rhythm and our fighting spirit,” noted Donatas Motiejunas during the break.

After halftime, 22-year-old Matthew Strazel stepped up, scoring 14 points to keep Monaco within striking distance. In the final quarter, Mike James took control, delivering a clutch performance. Despite a slow start, James scored two critical three-pointers to level the score at 66-66 and finished with 24 points, seven rebounds, and four assists. Bologna’s Marco Belinelli tried to answer back with his own three-pointers, but Monaco’s momentum proved unstoppable.

Missing key players Jordan Loyd and Elie Okobo, Monaco relied on their depth and determination to pull off the win. “It was important to step up and win on the road without two of our key players,” said James.