Zalgiris Kaunas made a statement in the EuroLeague by defeating last season’s finalist AS Monaco 89-84 at Salle Gaston Medecin on Wednesday night.
Moses Wright led the visitors with 21 points on a perfect 8-of-8 shooting performance and posted a PIR of 28. Nigel Williams-Goss added 14 points, Maodo Lo had 11, and Laurynas Birutis chipped in 10.
For Monaco, Mike James paced the hosts with 24 points, while Daniel Theis scored 17, Nikola Mirotic contributed 16, and Alpha Diallo added 10.
Zalgiris jumped ahead in the opening quarter behind Lo and Francisco’s three-pointers, building an 18-10 lead. Wright’s dominance in the paint helped the Lithuanian side stay in control, and they entered halftime with a 45-35 advantage.
Wright continued to set the tone in the third quarter, answering Monaco baskets with inside finishes. Zalgiris held a 67-60 lead heading into the fourth, with Williams-Goss pushing the pace and Sleva hitting from beyond the arc.
Monaco fought back late, cutting a 12-point deficit to just four behind James and Mirotic. Diallo and James threw down emphatic dunks in the closing minutes, sparking the crowd and trimming the gap to 84-88 with under a minute left.
Lo calmly sank a free throw in the final seconds, and James missed a late three-point attempt, allowing Zalgiris to secure the upset.
Zalgiris finished the game shooting 48% from deep (12-of-25) and outscored Monaco in bench points. Francisco dished out nine assists, while Wright’s efficiency inside proved decisive.
For Monaco, the loss marked a setback despite shooting 60% on two-pointers. Their struggles from three-point range (27.8%) and costly turnovers allowed Zalgiris to maintain control for most of the night.
