Paris tombe avec les honneurs

Published on March 17, 2026

In a two-part 21st round of play, Paris Basketball took the lead on Tuesday afternoon before ultimately losing in Bulgaria to Hapoel Tel Aviv (82-93).

Drive, shoot, dunk! There was no feeling-out period between Paris and Tel Aviv. Things got heated very quickly, particularly to the advantage of our Parisians. Playing with great intelligence off the ball, the teammates of a Jared who was absolutely everywhere racked up steals on the opening possessions. Though known for its controlled half-court game, Hapoel found itself scrambling on offense. Well-executed long-range shots by the home team prevent our squad from building too big a lead on the scoreboard. Because on offense, Paris Basketball doesn’t overthink things. With a devastating run-and-gun style, our players capitalize on JMO’s hot streak and an abundance of free throws to break down the EuroLeague’s third-best defense. As the playmaker, Nadir combines smart passing with unstoppable flashes of brilliance, while inside, Allan alternates between rebounds and sharp cuts. It’s a blistering pace that our opponents today manage to contain better in the second quarter. But above all, spurred on by the Bryant-Blakeney duo, they in turn deploy an up-tempo game. A bit calmer since halftime, Francesco Tabellini’s men now relied on their driving ability to break through this red wall. Though the pressure tightened, we remained in the lead coming out of the locker room (52-53).

After an extremely offensive first half, the game takes a more defensive turn. Contested shots no longer fall as easily. The intensity gives way to a pervasive roughness. On a 3-pointer by our former forward Collin Malcolm, the Israelis cap off a run that puts them in the lead. Less clinical than its opponent, Paris then relies on the hard work of its big men to score crucial points during this more challenging stretch. These second-chance opportunities still prove insufficient against Hapoel’s perimeter play. The damage was limited, with only two meager possessions separating the two teams (69-75). Especially since, in less than 20 seconds, Paris Basketball closed the gap to two points thanks to two long-range shots by Justin and Jared (75-77)! However, Tel Aviv has experience. The home team regained the lead, and a few missed shots on our end prevented us from continuing our push toward victory. Despite a strong team response as the game entered the final stretch, the Red and Whites once again snuffed out our strong finish with a huge shot at the end of a possession (82-93).

The flow of the game perfectly mirrored the periods in which each team dominated. When fast-paced attacks took precedence over defense, Paris Basketball came out on top. This was in contrast to the second quarter, when the opposite was true. The final score does not reflect just how much our Parisian team gave Hapoël a run for their money.

Paris Basketball looks forward to seeing you at the adidas Arena this Thursday evening for the game against Partizan Belgrade. This EuroLeague matchup offers the last few tickets available – click this link to secure yours.