Mission accomplished for Paris

Published on August 25, 2026

Paris is back ! Despite a depleted squad and a difficult first quarter, Paris Basketball got the job done on Tuesday evening in Orléans in their first pre-season match (89–85).

The start of the match is all about three-pointers ! For his first appearance in our kit, Tyson Etienne gets the team off to a flying start by responding blow for blow to Orléans from beyond the arc. A flurry of long-range shots followed by our sharpshooter Jeremy, before a dry spell during which the home side pulled ahead. Paris Basketball rallied, however, towards the end of the first quarter, converting several free throws to close the gap to just a single point (21–22). A moment to remember was Orléans’ basket, which was blocked by Maozinha following a lightning-fast transition. Our Parisians, moreover, continued to make ample use of this counter-attack weapon. Pre-season or not, our side is maintaining its up-tempo pace! And it’s paying off, as for the first time in the match, Maxime Lefèvre’s men take the lead thanks to another long-range shot from JMO, followed by a well-timed interception from Maozinha. This time there’s no lull for Paris, who keep up their momentum, particularly from long range. Better still, our players in turn built up a comfortable lead on the scoreboard as half-time approached. Although Jean-Baptiste Maille’s teammates staged a narrow comeback, Paris Basketball were well ahead on the scoreboard as they headed into the changing rooms (47–43).

The tactics seen in the first quarter remained the same for Paris: quick ball movement, incisive drives, drawing fouls and three-point attempts. Orléans, meanwhile, relied on their height advantage to score near the basket. Although the Parisians remained in control of the match, the home side were hot on their heels. Even when we manage to push them away from the paint with some strong defensive spells, they in turn find a way to score from beyond the arc. At the start of the fourth quarter, the gap remains unchanged (70–66). Léo, captain for the night, gets us off to a flying start in this final sprint. Jared built on that with a skilful ‘and-one’, then our players capitalised on the opposition’s poor free-throw discipline. Time and again, just two possessions separated the two teams. As the game entered its crunch moments, Jared sent a chill through the CO’Met Arena with a clinical mid-range shot. An offensive rebound from Maozinha a few seconds later sealed our victory once and for all (89–85).

Our Parisian side got the job done in this first pre-season match, despite a significant dip in form early on. It’s a promising sign for what lies ahead.

In just over a month, Paris Basketball will be back in action at the adidas arena. Jump on board the 20-match season ticket train now, before it leaves, by clicking right here.

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