The Roca Team’s inconsistent start to the EuroLeague season continued on the night of Thursday, October 23, as they fell 85–77 to Hapoel Tel Aviv in Sofia. After six rounds, AS Monaco now sit on an even record of three wins and three defeats — a less-than-ideal position ahead of back-to-back fixtures against Greek powerhouses Olympiacos and Panathinaikos.
Hapoel, who were forced to play their home fixture on neutral ground due to ongoing restrictions, entered the tie in strong form with four wins from five games. Despite being newcomers to the competition, Dimitris Itoudis’ side looked every bit the contender, boasting a deep and disciplined roster spearheaded by the electric Vasilije Micic.
Monaco coach Vassilis Spanoulis — still without Yoan Makoundou and choosing to rest veteran guard Nick Calathes — handed David Michineau his first EuroLeague call-up. His starting five featured Mike James, Matthew Strazel, Alpha Diallo, Nikola Mirotic and Daniel Theis.
It was a rough opening for the visitors. Hapoel raced to a 10–2 lead inside two minutes, driven by former Paris guard Jalen Malcolm and centre Daniel Oturu, who dominated the paint early. Micic orchestrated the Israeli attack masterfully, racking up nine quick points as Monaco struggled to get defensive stops.
Elie Okobo and Mike James eventually sparked some life into Monaco’s offence, trimming the deficit to six, but Hapoel closed the first quarter up 27–18 — thanks largely to Malcolm’s flawless shooting from beyond the arc.
The second quarter brought more frustration. Monaco briefly rallied through Nemanja Nedovic and Strazel to close within four, only for Hapoel’s bench to punish them again, with centre Johnathan Motley proving a handful. Alpha Diallo’s energy kept the Principality side afloat, yet the hosts went into halftime up 44–34, looking firmly in control.
The third quarter was Monaco’s best spell. Spanoulis’ men came out firing, with Diallo and Okobo leading a 9–0 run that slashed the gap to one. Theis hit a big three-pointer to make it 43–44 before Micic replied in kind to steady Hapoel’s nerves. The German forward stayed hot, hitting from range again as Monaco briefly took their first lead of the night heading into the final frame, 63–62.
But the comeback fizzled out. Hapoel’s depth told in the closing minutes, with Motley and Brynton Jones combining to swing momentum back their way. Despite flashes of brilliance from Okobo and Hayes, Monaco’s offence went cold at key moments, and Hapoel closed out an assured 85–77 victory.
Micic finished as Hapoel’s standout performer, controlling the tempo and punishing Monaco’s lapses, while Motley’s physical dominance inside proved decisive. For Monaco, Diallo and Okobo provided fight, but defensive frailty and untimely turnovers cost them once again.
The defeat leaves the Roca Team at 3–3 — level on paper, but lacking the rhythm expected of a title contender. With Olympiacos and Panathinaikos looming next week, Spanoulis and his men will need to regroup fast if they want to keep pace with Europe’s elite.
