The Roca Team endured a difficult evening in Lithuania on Tuesday, February 3, suffering a heavy 104–87 defeat away to Žalgiris Kaunas in the 26th round of the EuroLeague. Overwhelmed early by the hosts’ intensity and accuracy, Monaco were unable to recover from a disastrous opening quarter and conceded a fourth consecutive loss in European competition.
In front of a sell-out crowd of 15,000 spectators at the Zalgirio Arena, which was full for the 32nd straight EuroLeague game, Monaco faced a hostile atmosphere and a direct rival in the standings. With both teams separated by a single win before tip-off, the stakes were high for a Monaco side eager to halt its recent slump and move back toward the top six.
Head coach Vassilis Spanoulis had to cope with a depleted frontcourt, as Yoan Makoundou remained unavailable and Kevarrius Hayes was also sidelined. He opted to start with Elie Okobo, Mike James, Alpha Diallo, Jaron Blossomgame and Daniel Theis, while Žalgiris lined up with Francisco, Giedraitis, Tubelis, Ulanovas and Wright.
Monaco’s night quickly took a negative turn. The visitors missed their first five shots and struggled to cope with Žalgiris’ pace and defensive pressure, forcing an early timeout as the home side raced into an 8–0 lead. Although Blossomgame opened Monaco’s scoring from beyond the arc, the Lithuanians continued to punish defensive lapses, with Francisco orchestrating the offense and extending the gap into double figures.
Žalgiris caught fire from long range in the closing minutes of the first quarter, while Monaco failed to find any rhythm at either end of the floor. Despite a positive contribution off the bench from Juhann Begarin, the hosts finished the opening period with a commanding 35–18 advantage, leaving the Roca Team already facing an uphill battle.
The momentum remained firmly with the green-clad home side early in the second quarter, as Žalgiris pushed the lead beyond 20 points. Monaco attempted to respond through improved defensive effort and inside play from Alpha Diallo, with Mike James also finding scoring opportunities, but the damage had largely been done. Even without playing flawlessly, Žalgiris retained control and went into the break leading 56–38.
After halftime, Spanoulis sent out the same starting five in search of a reaction. Monaco briefly showed greater energy, with James and Theis trying to spark a comeback, but Žalgiris remained relentless. Tubelis dominated inside and on the boards, while Francisco continued to dictate the tempo, forcing Monaco into another timeout as the deficit grew once more.
Late in the third quarter, the Roca Team finally produced a more convincing stretch, tightening up defensively and moving the ball with greater purpose. Diallo attacked the paint effectively, and James knocked down a three-pointer to reduce the gap to 16 points heading into the final period, offering a faint glimmer of hope.
That hope was quickly extinguished. Tubelis, enjoying one of the finest performances of his season, took over the game, and Sleva followed with a flurry of three-pointers that restored a commanding lead for Žalgiris. With the outcome no longer in doubt, Monaco rotated its bench, allowing David Michineau to score his first EuroLeague points.
As the final buzzer sounded, the Zalgirio Arena rose to applaud a dominant display from the hosts, who closed out a 104–87 victory. For Monaco, the defeat extended a worrying run in Europe and underlined the challenges ahead as they look to regain consistency and momentum in the closing stages of the EuroLeague regular season.