Armoni Brooks took over early in his first EuroLeague game, scoring 14 points essentially in a row. He carried the Olimpia on his shoulders and gave the incredible impression to be able to lead the team to an improbable comeback. However, it was too late. Olimpia never got within less tha nine points and in the end lost in Monaco 93-80. “The outcome of the game was decided by what happened in the first half. They outmanned us, everywhere. We allowed 17 points off offensive rebounds. The second half was much better, we moved the ball, we got bigger with Ricci at the 3, we rebounded the ball better and were able to score 50-plaus points against a top-level EuroLeague team. But the difference in terms of physicality was huge. We need to work, we will and we will get better,” Coach Ettore Messina said after the game.

Monaco led by as many as 21 points in the first half and at the intermission. Olimpia returned from the locker room a changed team. The first desperate attempt at a comeback was led by Nikola Mirotic with two threes and another one hit by Pippo Ricci. Down by 13, Mirotic had a chance to hit his third straight three, but he went long. Monaco weathered the storm and enlarge the lead again. The second was led by Armoni Brooks. When Shavon Shields hit a three after Brooks’ barrage of jumpers, Olimpia was within nine with time to mount an incredible rally. But the defense was never up to the challenge and Monaco finished the game.

Armoni Brooks had 16 points, 6-for-7 from the field including 4-for-5 from three. His only miss was early in the game after a long two. In the second half he never missed. Neno Dimitrijevic added 11 points, six rebounds and five assists. Zach LeDay had 11 points too. But Olimpia struggled in the first half and was overwhelmed in the paint by a team that featured two pure centers in the line-up Jaiteh and Motiejunas.