Messina: One step at a time, we are looking to regain our confidence

Coming off two very complicated weeks, Olimpia travels to Monaco to challenge a team that has been among the most consistent ones in the EuroLeague, so far. Over the last 10 games, its record is 5-5, lower than the one compiled during the first part of the season, but AS Monaco playing in its court is 7-2, the fourth best record of the competition after the 9-1 of Maccabi and the 8-2 of Baskonia and Zalgiris. Monaco has just replaced Adrien Moerman with Chimu Moneke among the forwards, has recovered Jordan Loyd after some injuries, obviously counts on the explosiveness of the guards, not only Mike James but also Elie Okobo, Loyd himself, Ouattara, and the physicality provided by Alpha Diallo, John Brown and Donta Hall. Olimpia took one of its six wins of the season against Monaco, playing that night with great pride and imposing one of the greatest comebacks in recent history, including a 19-0 run that overturned the game. Tip-off time on Thursday 26th is at 21:00.

THE REFEREES – Robert Lottermoser (Germany), Emoin Mogulkoc (Turkey), Carlos Peruga (Spain).

COACH ETTORE MESSINA – "Monaco is having a top-notch season, has great perimeter scorers, not just Mike James, and a very high athletic level among the big men, especially John Brown and Donta Hall. We are in a position where every game must represent an opportunity to improve, regain confidence in ourselves and in what we are trying to do, one step at a time, with no anxiety, but with pride. We are aware that at these levels, on the road, we are going to face a very complicated challenge in Monaco".

AS MONACO – Coached by Sasa Obradovic, Monaco is a team with a strong back-court despite being strangely last for threes made (7.3 average) and accuracy (31.7 percent). The team is led by Mike James (17.6 points and 4.3 assists per game), one of the most prolific scorers of the last few years, in his second season in Monaco. With him there are Elie Okobo, a left-handed, who scores 12.0 points per game with 3.4 assists (he is a 40.2 percent shooter from three), and Jordan Loyd, a veteran in the competition, who averages 11.1 points per game. Among the guards, Monaco has also Matthew Strazel and the experienced shooter Yakouba Ouattara (4.6 points per game, 43.3 percent from three). At the small forward the most employed guy is the explosive Alpha Diallo (11.1 points and 4.4 rebounds per game). The reserve is Jaron Blossomgame (5.4 points per game). The power forwards are John Brown, a player of extraordinary intensity and aggressiveness, and Chima Moneke, who has just returned to Europe from the NBA (Sacramento). Brown averages 5.5 points per game and has 1.5 steals per game and adds 4.0 rebounds per game of which 2.5 are grabbed on offense. The centers are complementary: the Lithuanian Donatas Motiejunas is an 8.4 points per game scorer and he is shooting 64.5 percent from two while grabbing 3.8 rebounds per game; Donta Hall is a 7.1 points per game lob catcher who is converting 70.7 percent of his two-point attempts. He also averages 4.6 rebounds per game.

HISTORY VS. MONACO – The two teams split the two games played during the last season. Olimpia won in Monaco and Monaco won in Milan in the return game. Earlier in the season, Olimpia won the Milan game 77-71 coming back from a 17-point deficit in the second half to win the game.

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. Brandon Davies was playing for Monaco during the 2016/17 season, but back in the day the team was not part of the EuroLeague. Jordan Loyd played along Billy Baron in St. Petersburg last season.

GAME NOTES – Nicolò Melli has started in all of Olimpia’s 20 games so far, one of 11 players who have started every games so far. Melli has started in each one of the last 52 EuroLeague games he has played in. Melli has grabbed 1.294 rebounds for his career, and now he is among the top 10 rebounders ever. He has crossed the 800-point scorer for Olimpia in the EuroLeague barrier. Billy Baron is averaging 17.2 points per game when Olimpia’s won its games. Kyle Hines is two blocked shots away from 300 for his career. Since he came to Milan, he has played every single EuroLeague games, 96 out of 96, fourth all-time, behind Kaleb Tarczewski, Nicolò Melli and Vlado Micov. Deshaun Thomas is two points away from reaching 2.000.