A disastrous third quarter for our Parisian side

Published on March 22, 2026

Paris Basketball ended their March campaign at home with an 85-95 defeat on Sunday against JL Bourg in the 23rd round of the Betclic ÉLITE.

It took a while for the game to settle down. This was particularly true for Bourg, as after a few unsuccessful attempts near the basket, Paris Basketball slowly began to find their rhythm, prompting Frédéric Fauthoux to call a timeout midway through the first quarter. It is worth noting that, throughout this period, the visitors failed to score a single point from open play (12–2). Our team put the Bourg players under significant pressure, and they only found their range towards the end of the first quarter (23-16). Less than five minutes into the second quarter, JL were already in foul trouble, whilst struggling to compete for rebounds. Our team maintained a comfortable lead of around 10 points before Bourg closed the gap just before half-time (44-38).

Following on from a particularly scrappy second quarter, the start of the second half saw the intensity of the one-on-one battles ramp up. Turnovers are becoming fewer, whilst the Burgundy side’s accuracy is improving considerably. They even take the lead for the first time in the match (52-54). In response, Paris Basketball draws a flurry of fouls. We can also rely on Amath, who is having a great night, capable of scoring from mid-range, from three-point range and with ‘and-ones’. The problem is that, on the other side, JL is on a sensational run from long range, preventing us from regaining the lead at the start of the fourth quarter (65-69). This final stretch begins with two quick-fire three-pointers from Léo. Our attempts went in, as, unfortunately, did Bourg’s, whose madness from behind the arc took the game into extra time. But with three minutes to go, just one point separated the two teams (80-81). Our club ultimately remained within striking distance, without ever overtaking the visitors (85-95).

The third quarter proved to be our Parisian side’s undoing! That slump, caused by a lack of accuracy from the JL, really hurt us. Just edging out of it, Francesco Tabellini’s men were unable to capitalise on their strong run as the game entered the closing stages.

Paris Basketball will return to the adidas Arena on Thursday 2 April to face Olimpia Milano. It’s a clash of the capital cities, and you can book your tickets now by simply clicking here.