By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
After capturing the SuperCoupe championship to begin the 2025-26 journey, AS Monaco switched to the Regular Season of France’s Betclic Elite in style, with an 84-63 win over ESSM Le Portel in Le Chaudron.
In his first domestic league appearance with La Roca Team, Nikola Mirotic needed just under 16 minutes to put in a game-high 13 points. Captain Alpha Diallo added 12 points, six rebounds, five assists, and two steals for the team coached by Vassilis Spanoulis. Besides Yoan Makoundou nursing a shoulder injury and projected to remain sidelined until November, Mike James, Donatas Motiejunas, and Daniel Theis did not follow their teammates to Le Portel. Kevarrius Hayes was in the lineup but did not play.
More Round 1 action on Sunday in Astroballe, with LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne blowing out SLUC Nancy, 115-71. In a perfect professional debut, 17-year-old Adam Atamna put in ten points with 2/2 free throws, 1/1 two-pointers, and 2/2 three-pointers. Among six more double-digit scorers, Glynn Watson Jr. stood out with 17 points. Thomas Heurtel and Bodian Massa were out.
On Saturday, defending champion Paris started the new LNB schedule with a comfortable 109-66 victory versus BCM Gravelines-Dunkerque in Stade des Flandres. Amath M’Baye scored a game-high 17 points.
Betclic Elite Round 1
JDA Dijon – Le Mans 89-91
Boulazac – Saint-Quentin 94-76
Cholet – SIG Strasbourg 92-74
Limoges CSP – JL Bourg 96-84
BCM Gravelines-Dunkerque – Paris 66-109
ESSM Le Portel – AS Monaco 63-84
LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne – SLUC Nancy 115-71
Elan Chalon – Nanterre 92 (30/9)