Paris emerges victorious from this grueling derby !

Published on April 5, 2026

In a grueling 25th round of the championship, from start to finish, a resilient Paris Basketball team defeated Nanterre this Saturday evening (96-92).

This was a unique match, a derby between the top teams in France. An electric atmosphere hung over the court, as did the absence of our former Parisian player, Mathis Dosso-Youvo. Without their star center, Nanterre focused much of their offense around the perimeter. Thanks to screens, our opponents managed to loosen our close marking before launching baskets from beyond the arc. Paris responded with fast breaks and a variety of offensive plays. Amidst their numerous attempts to score, the early stages of the game were largely decided at the free-throw line. Fouls were indeed frequent, although the indiscipline was more prevalent among the Nanterre players. Having closed the gap to less than two possessions following a visiting run (20-25), Paris Basketball conceded another blow early in the second quarter. Our team erased the lead after a timeout thanks to a combination of three-pointers from Justin and a powerful drive from Nadir (31-34). While Nanterre was now punishing Nanterre more effectively near the basket, one thing remained unchanged: their defensive indiscipline. Our players found themselves at the free-throw line more than 15 times in the first half. Julien Mahé’s men, however, displayed impressive shooting accuracy to maintain their lead on the scoreboard (46-60).

The halftime break did nothing to change the situation. The pace remained particularly choppy, with a lot of tension and numerous fouls. Led by a dominant Derek, Paris Basketball forced Nanterre to call a timeout due to a lack of offensive solutions. Indeed, it wasn’t until the 6th minute of the second half that they finally scored a basket. Meanwhile, Paris inflicts a 15-0 defeat right from the start ! This was a problem our team simply didn’t have, as they punished their opponents on every attack. All that was missing was a touch of magic from the Prince of Paris, combined with a big dunk from Léo, to put them ahead (63-61)! Meanwhile, Nanterre continued to be battered by this onslaught. Attacking the paint now meant running headfirst into walls named after Momo Faye or Derek Willis. This dominance of our big men was also evident on the boards. This time, the free throws benefited the visitors, who overtook us at the last moment in the third quarter (73-75). Once again, the intensity was mixed with physical play. Given the way the game was unfolding, Julius Thomas unleashed the Yak on the court. Accompanied by Allan, these two powerhouses explode through the green paint to destroy the rim! The off-ball discipline remains crucial, even though Hugo Moukouri’s teammates sink their long-range attempts. No one gives an inch, everyone responds to each other! But Paris boasts masters of the art of the fast break. A cool Nadir seals the deal in this marathon game. Paris has done it and wins 96-92.

This match kept us on the edge of our seats until the very end. After a long period of struggle, Paris Basketball found the decisive gear to secure a victory that counts for two !

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