AS Monaco’s EuroLeague campaign took another hit on Thursday night as they fell 86-80 to Milan, marking their second consecutive loss in the competition. Despite a late surge, the Roca Team couldn’t hold on in the decisive moments, allowing the Italian side to clinch victory on matchday 27.
With just two minutes left on the clock, Monaco managed to edge ahead at 78-77. Even with 49 seconds remaining, they remained level at 80-80. However, costly errors and clinical finishing from Milan saw the French champions come up short, failing to build momentum for the crucial final stretch of the tournament.
Trailing for much of the second half and finding themselves down by nine points in the final quarter (70-61), Monaco’s comeback hopes were ignited by Élie Okobo. The guard delivered an inspired performance, scoring 14 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter. His efforts even helped Monaco snatch a brief one-point lead.
However, Milan’s Nikola Mirotic (22 points) had the final say, responding to a crucial basket from Alpha Diallo. With the game on the line, Okobo’s misjudged pass to Georgios Papagiannis squandered a vital possession. Milan capitalised swiftly, as Shavon Shields and Zach LeDay sank their free throws to seal the win, extending their lead beyond Monaco’s reach.
Despite changes introduced by head coach Vassilis Spanoulis after their Leaders Cup final loss, Monaco’s defensive woes remained apparent. The first half saw Milan exploit gaps with ease, hitting 10 of 16 three-pointers and racking up 31 points in the second quarter alone. Although Monaco tightened up after the break, their offensive struggles persisted, managing only 8 of 26 from beyond the arc.
New signing Daniel Theis endured a difficult debut, registering five fouls while contributing six points and four rebounds in 23 minutes. Meanwhile, star player Mike James endured an uncharacteristically poor night, shooting just 5-for-17 from the field.
The road ahead doesn’t get any easier for Monaco, who must regroup quickly. Their next challenge comes on Wednesday, March 5 against Paris, followed by a crucial showdown in Belgrade against Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday, March 13. With their top-four standing in jeopardy, the Monegasques must bounce back swiftly to maintain their place among the EuroLeague elite.
