Monaco’s EuroLeague campaign began with frustration on Wednesday night as the Roca Team slipped to an 84–89 defeat against Zalgiris Kaunas at Gaston Médecin. Despite a late surge, Mike James’s 24-point masterclass wasn’t enough to prevent a false start in front of home fans.
Four months after their agonising defeat in last season’s EuroLeague final, AS Monaco returned to continental action with high hopes and a revamped roster. But from the outset, the Lithuanian visitors seized control. Zalgiris’s sharp perimeter shooting and dominance inside, led by Birutis and Lo, left Monaco constantly chasing the game.
Coach Vassilis Spanoulis’s side struggled defensively in the first half, conceding 45 points and managing just one three-pointer before the break. Daniel Theis and Nikola Mirotic provided resistance in the paint, while James kept the scoreboard ticking, but Zalgiris’s accuracy from deep gave them a double-digit cushion.
The second half brought greater intensity from the hosts. Okobo and Diallo chipped in as the deficit narrowed to seven points heading into the final quarter, and the Gaston Médecin crowd sensed a comeback. Yet every time Monaco threatened, Zalgiris found an answer—Wright pouring in nine straight points in the fourth before Williams-Goss stretched the lead once more from long range.
James, as ever, kept Monaco alive, dragging them back to within striking distance in the closing minutes. But Zalgiris, buoyed by a noisy travelling support, held firm to claim a deserved victory and spoil Monaco’s return to European competition.
“It was a difficult game. We didn’t defend with the right approach,” admitted Spanoulis afterwards. “The last five minutes were better, but we need that level of commitment across all 40 minutes. The season is long—we’ll have many chances to improve.”
For Zalgiris coach Tomas Masiulis, it was a night of satisfaction: “A great team win. We were solid in defence and attack. But it’s only one game—there’s another challenge in two days.”
Monaco won’t have long to lick their wounds. They face Dubai at home on Friday, with Spanoulis demanding a much sharper performance to get their EuroLeague campaign back on track.
