Monaco wants to « react » after game 3: « This is not our image, » says Spanoulis

EuroLeague - Before game 4 of the EuroLeague quarter-finals this Friday in Barcelona, Vassilis Spanoulis, Daniel Theis and Jaron Blossomgame called on AS Monaco to bounce back after a disappointing defensive performance in game 3.

By@Gabriel Pantel-Jouve

00h00

Monaco wants to « react » after game 3: « This is not our image, » says Spanoulis

Photo Credit : AS Monaco

After being pushed around on Wednesday in game 3 in Barcelona (100-89), AS Monaco wants to recover. Still ahead (2 wins to 1) in this EuroLeague quarter-final series, the Roca Team aims to win this Friday evening at the Palau Blaugrana (20:45) to qualify for their second Final Four, after 2023. On the eve of this crucial match, Vassilis Spanoulis, Daniel Theis and Jaron Blossomgame shared their determination to reverse the momentum.

« This is not our image »: Spanoulis calls for a reaction

Defeated Wednesday in Catalonia, the Monegasque team showed an unusual face. For coach Vassilis Spanoulis, the problem wasn’t just tactical: « In game 3, we had the wrong approach and mindset. This is not what I want. This is not what I like from my team, from my players. And we need to react, because this is not our image. »

The Greek coach emphasizes the importance of the moment: « We’ve had good moments, less good ones and bad ones. But now, we’re in a period of the season where we can’t look back and we can’t make the same mistake. »

🦾 𝕋𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙 𝕓𝕒𝕥𝕥𝕝𝕖 𝕚𝕟 𝔹𝕒𝕣𝕔𝕖𝕝𝕠𝕟𝕒 ⚔️
⏩️ 𝕎𝕖’𝕝𝕝 𝕓𝕖 𝕓𝕒𝕔𝕜 𝕠𝕟 𝔾𝕒𝕞𝕖 4️⃣ #RocaTeam #EveryGameMatters pic.twitter.com/IYw4LzXoJr

— AS Monaco Basket 🇲🇨 (@ASMonaco_Basket) May 1, 2025

Daniel Theis: « We just need to play harder »

Dominated in the paint on Wednesday, Daniel Theis (2.03 m, 33 years) refuses to point to a tactical problem. For the German center, mindset is key: « After our game 3, it’s not about tactics, it depends on ourselves, our desire, we just need to play harder. »

While acknowledging the importance of maintaining home court advantage thanks to two wins at Gaston-Médecin, he’s aware of the context: « We see tomorrow’s game as do or die. » Asked about a potential personal duel with fellow German speaker Willy Hernangomez, Theis cuts short: « It’s never personal, it remains Monaco-Barcelona, we want this win, we want to go to the Final Four. »

Blossomgame: « Too soft » in game 3

Same assessment from Jaron Blossomgame (2.01 m, 31 years), clear about Wednesday’s collective performance: « We were too soft in all aspects of the game. » The American power forward ensures the team has watched the game to « analyze what needed to be corrected. » He concludes: « We knew what we had to do before game 3, but we didn’t implement it. It’s up to us to correct that. »

The appointment is set for this Friday for game 4. With a victory, the Roca Team would avoid a decisive game 5 at home. In case of defeat, they would have one last match point.