Prince Albert revealed his reaction to AS Monaco Basket claiming the Eurocup title in two historic final matches against UNICS Kazan from Russia, in a recent interview to the French press.
Prince Albert II was in the front seat during match 1 of the basketball Eurocup finals, which took place in the Salle Gaston Médecin at the Stade Louis II on 27 April. After an extremely suspenseful match, the Roca Team, under the guidance of coach Zvezdan Mitrovic, took the victory by a narrow margin, with a score of 89-87.
The team then played the second match of the tournament finals against UNICS in Tatarstan, Russia on 30 April. The Sovereign watched the game from the Prince’s Palace as the team won with a score of 86-83. After the final whistle of the final game, with the Prince’s children close by, Prince Albert cried out in joy and immediately called several friends on the phone to share the happy moment.
The Prince was especially impressed by the performance of Rob Gray on Friday, who had a breathtaking match and scored 25 points, as well as other players like Marcos Knight and Dee Bost. The Prince particularly remembers the great collective strength the team was able to demonstrate.
Monaco to host EuroLeague Next Season
Basketball enthusiasts all over the Principality will be happy to learn that Monaco will be hosting the EuroLeague matches next season. However, after a meeting with a EuroLeague, the team learned that Gaston-Médecin does not meet the size specifications for the larger league: it is too small. Will they expand the current room or build a new court? Will they use a temporary structure or the Fontvieille tent? The answer is yet unknown and here will be a few meetings in the near future to brainstorm the best solution.
First French team to win Eurocup in 30 years
AS Monaco is the second French team in history to win the C2, since Limoges in 1988. That’s only two French team winners in 33 years! And the Roca Team was only created nine years ago. In that short amount of time, the team climbed from fourth level in France to qualifying for the Euroleague, to winning their first European trophy. According to the team’s website, it is the happiest moment in the history of the Monaco club.
Prince Albert and his father before him have always been dedicated to sports. This championship title rewards decades of commitment. According to the Prince, it is the result of a long journey and a desire for sport to be an important part of the Principality, not only in terms of communication but also in terms of inclusion.
To celebrate and congratulate the team properly, the Prince envisions a reception at the Palace. The AS Monaco Basket team still have more games to play during the current national season. And although the Prince promises they’ll remain humble, perhaps a second trophy is in the team’s near future? All hopes are high.
