No victory for our return to the adidas arena

Published on March 11, 2026

In front of a packed crowd at the adidas arena, a combative Paris Basketball team fought hard from the first minute to the last but ultimately fell 87-104 to Ward’s Olympiacos on EuroLeague matchday 34.

Right away, the entire adidas arena knew that a big night was in store. Faced with the Greeks’ hot shooting from behind the arc, our Parisians used their secret weapon: transition. Falling behind, Olympiacos found themselves committing foul after foul, so much so that Paris’ first six points came solely from free throws. Behind them, the Dorsey-Milutinov backbone hurt us, especially as the visitors’ long-range success did not dissipate over time. Paris Basketball took the blows in the middle of the first quarter before responding in its own style. Daulton opened Pandora’s box with a 3-pointer. This was followed by big shots from Justin, JMO, Nadir, and Lamar. The reaction was particularly noticeable without the ball, where our players managed to defend better against the opponent’s succession of screens. Not to mention those quick ball advances that always hurt the Red and White. Several times, our team came back to within 1 or 2 possessions. However, Athens’ shots out of nowhere allowed Tyson Ward’s team to maintain control of the game at halftime (55-63).

Our Parisians haven’t said their last word yet! Initially to Piraeus’ advantage, the third quarter quickly turns in our favor. A strong defensive sequence—lightning-fast projection, sharp drives, and well-timed shots—was typical of Tabellini’s style, which immediately took its toll on the Greek side. As the game progressed, Olympiacos found itself increasingly pushed back. It was impossible for them to build their systems when our players harassed the ball carrier with traps and well-timed assists right from the start. Paris Basketball once again closed in dangerously on the visitors (65-71). But, led by their captain Milutinov—who was unstoppable tonight—the Athenians made a decisive run in the second half of the third quarter (71-87). However, our team’s desire did not waver. The Prince of Paris’ teammates were enterprising and tried relentlessly. However, these opportunities did not translate into points, unlike the Greeks, who were clinical on every incursion (87-104).

Facing an Olympiacos team that has been highly successful from the parking lot (17/30), our Parisians were unable to sustain their streak of impressive performances. A slight lack of consistency proved fatal for us.

We are only at the beginning of this totally crazy week. On Thursday evening, the adidas arena will host a classic French basketball match on the European stage against ASVEL. To attend, simply click directly on this link.