The short trip to Monte Carlo is also one of the most complicate: AS Monaco is second in the standings, is 10-3 in their gym located underneath the football stadium, in the heart of the Principality, and they have won their last eight games and nine of the last ten. Over that span, no team has done better. The streak allowed the team coached by Sasa Obradovic to climb up to second place, tied with Barcelona. It is true, however, that Monaco is coming off an unexpected defeat against Strasbourg in the French Cup after having already lost the Leaders Cup against Paris Basketball in the championship game. Olimpia comes to this game, the first of the last “double round of the EuroLeague, after a couple of disappointments. The beautiful victory over Partizan at home was canceled out by three consecutive defeats on the road, two in the Italian league and one in the EuroLeague in Vitoria. Despite this, the record says that the tenth place is just one win away, even if currently the spot is occupied by three teams. Beyond this, it is important to finish the European season in the best possible way, trying to improve a road record presenting just two wins.
THE REFEREES – Miguel Angel Perez (Spaina), Uros Nikolic (Serbia), Ioannis Foufis (Greece).
COACH ETTORE MESSINA – “We face a very strong team, rich of talented players, well organized and with the chance to make it to the Final Four and possibly win the championship. As a consequence, for us, considering all the difficulties we’ve been facing lately, it is a game extremely complicated that we need to approach with humility but at the same time with the confidence of being able to be the team capable to play some very good games against high-caliber teams.”
AS MONACO OUTLOOK – Coming off eight consecutive wins, Monaco is looking to secure at least its second place in the regular season behind Real Madrid, if a comeback proves to be impossible. Obviously, the team is built around Mike James (19.3 points, 5.1 assists per game, 40.2 percent from three), who recently became the EuroLeague all-time leading scorer, but there are many more outstanding guards next to him, as the Frenchman Elie Okobo, another great scorer (11.0 points and 3.3 assists per game), the former NBA All-Star, Kemba Walker (4.3 points per game), and the veteran Jordan Loyd (10.3 points per game). The two forwards are Alpha Diallo, now an established player (10.3 points and 4.2 rebounds on average, 41.9 percent from three), and the defensive specialist Jaron Blossomgame (5.7 points and 3.0 rebounds per game). The power forwards are the fighter John Brown (who averages 6.2 points, and 4.0 rebounds of which half are offensive) and the shooter Petr Cornelie. There are many options at the center position too: the Lithuanian Donatas Motiejunas (8.2 points with 57.8 percent on two-pointers), the leaper Donta Hall (5.0 points and 3.6 rebounds per game, he is shooting 72.2 percent on twos) and the former Virtus Bologna center, Mom Jaiteh (3.9 points per game, 58.9 percent from two). The depth of the team is ensured by Matthew Strazel, a point guard, the shooter Yakuba Ouattara and finally the winger Terry Tarpey.
HISTORY VS. AS MONACO– The two teams split the two games played during the last two seasons. Olimpia won in Monaco and Monaco won in Milan in the return game during the 2021/22 season. On the other hand, they both won at home during the 2022/23 season. Olimpia won the Milan game 77-71 coming back from a 16-point deficit in the second half to win. However, this season, Monaco was able to win 72-66 in Milan, now leading the all-time series 3-2.
THE MONACO CONNECTION – Mike James has spent one season in Milano, in 2018/19, and was the EuroLeague leading scorer. He appeared in 30 games with 595 points and 191 assists.
NICOLO’ MELLI NOTES – Nicolò Melli climbed the chart of the all-time defensive rebounders in the EuroLeague, surpassing Georgios Printezis and Felipe Reyes. Melli now boasts 1,110 defensive rebounds, 54 less than Ioannis Bourosis, who was his teammate for two years at Olimpia. Melli is also eighth in total rebounds with 1,476: he has surpassed Georgios Printezis.
SHAVON SHIELDS NOTES – Shields is the Olimpia leader in the EuroLeague with 1.288 points scored. All-time, he is trailing only Bob McAdoo’s 1.292 points scored, but now he is just four points shy of making history. Over the last 17 EuroLeague games, he has made at least two three-pointers 16 times and 12 times he had at least three. On top of it, he has 167 made threes, two behind the all-time leader Sergio Rodriguez (169) and one less than Vlado Micov’s 168. So, he can make history in this regard too.
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