A severely depleted Roca Team produced a spirited display in front of its home supporters despite falling 123-95 to Paris Basketball at Gaston Médecin on Sunday, May 10.
Reduced to a skeleton squad before tip-off and then further weakened by the early dismissal of Nemanja Nedović, Monaco nevertheless fought throughout the evening, with young academy players stepping up alongside an outstanding performance from Matthew Strazel, who finished with 34 points.
The Roca Team entered the Betclic Elite clash missing several major names, including Mike James, Elie Okobo, Nikola Mirotić and Daniel Theis, leaving assistant coach Sergii Gladyr with limited options against one of the league’s strongest sides.
Paris quickly took control, racing into an early double-digit lead thanks to sharp outside shooting and fast offensive transitions. Monaco’s problems deepened in the opening quarter when Nedović was ejected following a heated exchange, leaving the hosts with only four senior professionals available for much of the contest.
Despite the circumstances, the home side refused to collapse. Youngsters including Kyllian Michee and Yssam Moungalla injected energy into the game, while Strazel carried the offensive load almost single-handedly.
The Monaco guard inspired a remarkable third-quarter rally that briefly cut the deficit to just six points, igniting the Gaston Médecin crowd and giving the impression of an unlikely comeback.
Paris, however, eventually regained control through its deeper rotation and relentless scoring pace. The visitors pushed the advantage back into double figures entering the final quarter before pulling away late on.
Although the defeat ended in a heavy scoreline, the reaction inside the arena reflected admiration rather than frustration, with supporters applauding the effort shown by a Monaco side stretched to its limits but still battling until the final buzzer.