The Chorale de Roanne facing Monaco and its armada at the opening
In the heart of the matter directly. The Roanne Choir begins its 2021-2022 season this Saturday, October 2 by hosting Monaco.
The context: home premiere
The Choir will start the championship for the first time at home since its accession in 2019. In two seasons in the elite, the Roannais have, each time, lost in the inaugural match: in Cholet in 2019 (59-85) and in Bourg in 2020 (63-80). This time, the band at Clément Cavallo will be in front of its audience. An advantage above all that Vacheresse, like the other rooms, is not subject to any gauge.
The opponent: team stamped Euroleague
It is a monster that presents itself at the Halle this Saturday. In the opinion of specialists, Monaco has the best number of Betclicélite. A group which was thought to play the Euroleague. Monaco has 15 professionals. The Principality’s club has thus recruited Mike James. The leader has been one of the three best scorers in the Euroleague for three seasons (19.3 points in the last season with CSK Moscow). The American even did an NBA freelance with Brooklyn (7.7 points on average in 13 games). He will be the highest paid player in the championship with an estimated salary of 1.4 million euros over nine months (155,000 per month).
Next to him, there is the French Léo Westermann, 154 Euroleague meetings on the clock with Belgrade, Fenerbahce or Barcelona. In the racket, Monaco recruited Donatas Motiejun. The Lithuanian international has a rich CV of 262 NBA games.
The Monegasques started the Euroleague with a success Thursday, September 30 against Panathinaikos (75-63).
The team: complete
Jean-Denys Choulet will be able to rely on a whole group for this first day. Loren Jackson, hit in an ankle during preparation, has listened to this week. The leader should take his place on the floor of the Halle. With him, we should find in the five major Johnny Berhanemeskel, Ronald March, Jakeenan Gant and Juvonte Reddic.
The groups
Roanne choir: Loren Jackson (leader, 1m73), Renathan Ona-Embo (leader 1m94), Johnny Berhanemeskel (back, 1m88), Louis Marnette (back, 1m93), Ronald March (winger, 1m96), Clément Cavallo (winger, 2m), Jakeenan Glove (strong winger, 2m03), Louis Cassier (strong winger, 2m01), Juvonte Reddic (pivot, 2m06), Boubacar Touré (pivot, 2m11). Coach: Jean-Denys Choulet.
AS Monaco: Léo Westermann (leader, 1m98), Mike James (leader, 1m85), Paris Lee (leader, 1m83), Rudy Demahis-Ballou (leader, 1m90), Danilo Andjusic (back, 1m95), Rob Gray (back, 1m85), Yakuba Ouattarra (winger, 1m92), Armel Traoré (winger, 2m04), Alpha Diallo (winger, strong winger, 2m01), Brock Motum (strong winger, 2m08), Will Thomas (strong winger, 2m03), Donatas Motiejunas (forward, pivot, 2m13), Donta Hall (pivot, 2m08), Jerry Boutsiele (pivot, 2m07), Ibrahima Fall (pivot, 2m06).
Coach: Zvezdan Mitrovic.