Monaco was defeated by Virtus Bologna in the second round of the EuroLeague by 83-59, marking their second consecutive loss in the prestigious European competition.
Sasa Obradovic’s team played without Kemba Walker and Jordan Loyd, while Virtus had a full roster.
Both teams started the game with a strong defensive approach, resulting in only six points scored in the first three minutes. Then, the visitors from Bologna found their rhythm and soon had a 14-7 lead. By the end of the first quarter, Virtus was the better team and held an eight-point lead going into the second quarter. Mike James was the only Monaco player in the first quarter to find his scoring touch, contributing 8 points.
In the second quarter, Mike James, who was the sole scorer for Monaco in the first quarter with 8 points, struggled, scoring just 11 more points. The rest of the team also had difficulties. Virtus Bologna capitalized on this situation. In just two and a half minutes in the second quarter, after Ognjen Dobric’s three-pointer, they extended their lead to 30-17. Virtus then took advantage of Monaco’s missed opportunities, with Iffe Lundberg punishing them with a three-pointer to take a 19-point lead. The halftime score was 48-33 in favor of the visiting team.
Monaco’s struggles continued in the second half. James continued to miss shots, and Virtus executed well on their three-point attempts, especially Jaleen Smith, who made four three-pointers out of five attempts.
Virtus entered the final quarter with a 22-point lead, making it clear that they would win the game. They managed to extend their lead even further, securing their first EuroLeague victory of the season. On the other hand, Monaco is now at a 0-2 record in the competition.
Iffe Lundberg was the top scorer for the visitors with 14 points, while Serbian international Ognjen Dobric contributed 9 points. On the Monaco side, Mike James was the only player in double figures with 14 points.