On ASVEL’s home court, the Roca Team secures a historic victory

There was no suspense in the all-French encounter between ASVEL and the Principality’s club, who won comfortably on the Lyon court, breaking a run of two consecutive EuroLeague defeats.

Although last week’s trip to the Serbian capital was unsuccessful, the Roca Team were determined to redeem themselves on the 12th EuroLeague game-day on Wednesday evening. On the LDLC Arena’s court, Vassilis Spanoulis’s men delivered a convincing collective performance against one of the other French sides in the competition, sealing a clear and emphatic victory (52–84).

With a full squad, the Monegasque coach fielded a starting five made up of Mike James, Matthew Strazel, Alpha Diallo, Jaron Blossomgame and Daniel Theis. Although the start of the game was cautious on both sides (14–11 after ten minutes), the visiting side gradually raised the intensity.

A victory that will go down in history

The second quarter proved to be a turning point. Thanks to aggressive defence and greater offensive efficiency, the Monegasque side widened the gap to head to the locker room with a 13-point lead (34–21). Nikola Mirotic and Elie Okobo also provided valuable options off the bench.

In the second half, Matthew Strazel’s teammates left their opponents no chance. The James-Diallo-Mirotic trio showcased the full extent of their talent, extending the lead to 24 points at the start of the final quarter (64–40). Alpha Diallo particularly distinguished himself in defence, confirming his status as a key EuroLeague player.

On this special day, coinciding with National Day, the Roca Team recorded their biggest winning margin since joining the competition in 2021. The result allows them to move back into the race for the end-of-season playoffs — a welcome confidence boost for a team who will host Istanbul’s Anadolu Efes next week.