All five new players led their team to an 84-89 win in the principality
Zalgiris's newcomers made their presence felt in Monaco
Artículo
3 Min lectura
Regular Season
Round 1 of 38
Regular Season
AS MonacoASM
8489
Zalgiris KaunasZAL
Overview
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Zalgiris Kaunas wasted no time showing that it is ready for the new EuroLeague campaign, securing an impressive 84-89 road victory against AS Monaco, last season's finalists, in Round 1.
While most of Zalgiris’s newcomers had prior EuroLeague experience, even those making their debut stepped up immediately. Their performance delivered a win and gave Tomas Masiulis a memorable start as head coach. Masiulis, a EuroLeague champion as both a player and assistant coach, was in the spotlight for his first game as the boss.
Moses Wright was the standout player of the night. He made a huge impact in the second quarter, where he seemed to be everywhere on the floor. His play stretched the lead to 30-38 with a tip-in, a dunk, and a put-back slam.
When Monaco closed the gap to 67-71, Wright responded with a clutch three-pointer and two free throws, maintaining Zalgiris’s lead. Despite Monaco’s late rally, it came too late to alter the outcome.
Wright finished with 21 points on a perfect 8-of-8 shooting, 6 rebounds, and a PIR of 28.
“It was a great road win for us,” Wright said after the game. “We came out, matched Monaco’s physicality and intensity. Monaco is a great program, and Vassilis Spanoulis is a great coach, but we also have a great team.”
He continued: “We stuck together. Monaco made their run, but it didn’t affect us too much. Our captain, ‘Ula’ [Edgaras Ulanovas], gathered us and reminded us to stay focused and calm.”
Zalgiris’s newcomers provided crucial support across the board.
Nigel Williams-Goss hit two critical three-pointers in the fourth quarter, finishing with 14 points. Maodo Lo added 11 points off the bench. Dustin Sleva chipped in with 6 points, including a pair of triples, and Azuolas Tubelis scored 9.
Together, the five newcomers accounted for 61 of Zalgiris’s 89 points. They shot an impressive 64% on 2-pointers (16 of 25) and 60% on three-pointers (6 of 10).
The team also excelled in ball movement, recording 21 assists to just 8 turnovers. Sylvain Francisco was particularly effective, dishing out 9 assists with only 2 turnovers.
Next, Zalgiris hosts Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, a game that holds extra significance for Masiulis. Coach Masiulis helped Fenerbahce win the 2025 EuroLeague Championship and now faces his former boss, Zalgiris legend Sarunas Jasikevicius. The matchup promises to be a highly anticipated clash at Zalgirio Arena on Friday night.
“This is the EuroLeague; every minute, every second counts,” Masiulis said after the Monaco win. That will certainly be the case when Fenerbahce comes to town on Friday.