Paris are headed for the playoffs

Published on April 19, 2026

Playoff ticket secured! After a hard-fought 27th round of the championship, Paris Basketball narrowly escaped the trap set by Cholet at La Meilleraie this Sunday evening (99-93).

When two teams with high offensive standards face off, it’s bound to be reflected at the start of the game. The match began at a blistering pace, both in terms of rhythm and points scored. In front of their home crowd, Cholet came out strong. With the ball in hand, they found gaps along our perimeter. Even with their backs to the basket, they punished us from mid-range. And as has been the case for several games now, Paris Basketball opened their scoring from beyond the arc. This time, it was a three-pointer by Jared. But, as evidenced by the 13 free throws attempted in just a few minutes, Paris racked up more points from the line. This surge was fueled by the entry of our second unit. Nadir’s blistering start poses a significant threat to the home team. Defensively fragile, BC mixes man-to-man defense, traps, and transitions to maintain a slim lead thanks to Justin’s magnificent end to the first quarter (24-27). Out of the timeout, Jeremy ties the game from beyond the arc (27-27)! This proves too much for the home team, who respond with a sustained run that Daulton definitively halts in the second half of the second quarter. From three-point range and in contact, our forward injects new energy. Although our opponents continue to hammer the basket, Justin’s teammates, in full free-throw mode, stabilize the gap. A hard-fought first quarter capped off by this step-back rarity from Prince de Paris (44-56)!

Justin, Daulton, and then Nadir set the tone from the three-point line. Our fluid ball movement creates space for our shooters, who then simply have to let their talent shine. Especially since Cholet’s offense is proving less precise. Hampered by the pressure from our Parisians, the home team concedes steals, extends their possession, and finds themselves pushed far from the basket. This is compounded by a loss of rebounding dominance and a plummeting shooting percentage. Paris Basketball has decided to raise its game without warning, leaving Cholet completely overwhelmed! Inspired up front, our players are particularly impressive on defense. A fantastic comeback, slightly hampered by a series of brilliant plays from the opposition at the end of the 3rd quarter (68-74). BC is finding its form again, and this is confirmed at the start of the 4th quarter. A run of success that Justin’s layup and Seba’s corner attempt slow down. Despite their efforts, Paris Basketball can’t get below a two-possession deficit. Finally, just before the final buzzer! Nadir takes advantage of a superb screen to break free from his guard, rise up, and sink a long-range shot. For the first time in the game, Paris leads (89-88)! Shaken, the Mauligériens launch a series of sloppy attacks. We extend our lead, but Cholet gives themselves one last chance to believe with this shot from Terrance Campbell with 10 seconds left on the clock (93-93). As the crowd prepares for overtime… Justin seals the game once and for all with a clutch three-pointer (99-93)!

Right up until the end, victory seemed within BC’s grasp. Even when Paris managed to mount a comeback in the final stretch, the Cholet players managed to keep their composure. Apparently not as much as our team, whose extraordinary resilience once again caused significant damage!

Our Parisians will be back at the adidas Arena on Saturday, April 2nd against Chalon. To reserve your seat, click here.