Monaco’s Dominance: Third Straight Final After Triumph Over Bourg-en-Bresse

Defending champions AS Monaco Basketball reached the French Championship final for the third consecutive time thanks to their victory in Bourg-en-Bresse (76-71) on Thursday, winning their semi-final series 3-1.

JL Bourg, EuroCup finalists, led with 127 seconds remaining but succumbed to the relentless efforts of Monaco’s forward Jaron Blossomgame (16 points, 5 rebounds). Having already scored 21 points on Tuesday in Ain, the American put his team ahead with a precise three-pointer.

Following a defensive rebound, Blossomgame grabbed another crucial rebound in the opponent’s paint when his teammate Alpha Diallo missed a second free throw (72-69), securing the game.

In what is expected to be JL Bourg’e Zaccharie Risacher’s final game in the Betclic Elite, the French basketball prodigy, projected to be a top pick in the upcoming NBA draft, scored 8 points.

AS Monaco is the first team to qualify for the French Championship final and will meet the winner of Asvel and Paris Basketball.

And in Soccer News – Monaco’s Center Back Called Up for World Cup Qualifiers

The Monegasque central defender, who joined last summer and played twelve matches this season, has been selected by the Black Stars to participate in two games counting towards the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. With the season over for AS Monaco, Mohammed Salisu has been called up by Ghanaian coach Otto Addo to play two World Cup qualifying matches against Mali on June 6 in Bamako, and against the Central African Republic on June 10 in Kumasi.

Crucial Assist at Lens

Arriving in the summer of 2023 from Southampton, Monaco’s number 22 has made 12 appearances in Ligue 1, having recovered from an early-season injury. Strong in duels, he has shown his decisiveness when the team needed him, such as during the victory at Lens, where he provided an assist for Folarin Balogun’s goal.

With Ghana Since 2022

At 25, Mohammed Salisu is also a key player for his national team. Present and starting in all three matches of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, he has remained a fixture for the Black Stars since. During this international window, our Monegasque player is set to face Mali and the Central African Republic in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

To recap, Ghana has three points from two matches and needs to bounce back this month to move closer to potential qualification. Good luck to him!