Roca Team trip up on first step in EuroLeague against Zalgiris Kaunas

The team lost its first European match of the season at Gaston Médecin on Wednesday evening, despite Mike James scoring 24 points.

AS Monaco Basket’s EuroLeague 2025-2026 campaign got off to a poor start on Wednesday 1 October. In front of a home crowd that had to choose between basketball and football as AS Monaco’s Champions League match took place on the same evening , the Roca Team were unable to contain the Lithuanian side’s efficiency in attack, losing 84-89. Their first European match leaves a bitter taste in the mouths of Vassilis Spanoulis’s players, who were finalists last season.

2025-2026 EuroLeague calendar: Roca Team start off strong at home

Zalgiris Kaunas forged the win through a remarkable success rate with long-range shots. The visitors converted 12 of their 25 attempts from outside the zone (48%). This skill enabled the Lithuanians to extend their lead from the first quarter onwards, to 10 points at times. The Monegasques, on the other hand, struggled in that respect, with only 5 of their 17 attempts landing in the hoop.

Mike James in vain

The American captain led the Monegasque attack, scoring 24 points, followed by Daniel Theis (17 points) and Nikola Mirotic (16 points). Despite their best efforts, the attacking trio were not enough against the Lithuanian team. Devin Wright shone for the visitors with 21 points, including 9 in a row in the final quarter.

Insufficient defensive commitment

In his post-match conference, reported in a press release, coach Vassilis Spanoulis did not mince his words: “We can’t expect to win when we defend like that.”  The Greek coach pointed out his players’ lack of commitment over 40 minutes. The Roca Team will have the chance to redeem themselves on Friday when they host Dubai.