Paris are on a roll against Menorca

The defence took control of the game right from the start! They pressed hard, looked to intercept, threw themselves at every ball and contested every play. Although Allan quickly opened the scoring for Paris Basketball, the score struggled to rise on the scoreboard during the first five minutes. Both teams were extremely diligent in their off-the-ball work, forcing their opponents to use up the full 24 seconds. Menorca initially capitalised on this high intensity. On his return from the international break, Nadir helped us claw back the deficit with a cross that was converted into successful free throws. Then the whole team prioritised sharp drives to the basket over outside shots, unlike the home side, whose accuracy ensured they held a narrow lead. At least until that absolutely mad buzzer-beater from the logo by Jared (22–22).

Despite the break, Paris Basketball shows absolutely no sign of slowing down! Menorca are even forced to call a time-out after just a few possessions. Especially as they’ve failed to get on the scoreboard in the second quarter. Our Parisians aren’t letting ANYTHING slip by! Fast break – steal – transition – 2 points. This is the pattern the home side found themselves stuck in for over three minutes! The momentum did gradually even out, but the pace set by Léo’s teammates was such that the home side couldn’t stem the tide. Although the shots weren’t falling as often, our team calmly executed their attacking basketball through pick-and-rolls or drawn fouls. All this was complemented by flashes of brilliance from the Jared-T.J. duo. At the start of the fourth quarter, we were nearly 30 points clear of the Spanish side (79–51). Spurred on by a succession of three-pointers and defensive stops, our players extended a lead that kept growing. We controlled the end of the match, just as we had throughout the game (95–62).