ASVEL Secures Euroleague Victory Against Paris Basketball

ASVEL has found victory again. After two consecutive losses to strong opponents last week, the team from the Rhône region bounced back with a Euroleague win against Paris Basketball on Wednesday, with a final score of 96-98. This result temporarily moves them up to 9th place in the standings.

Tony Parker's squad benefited from strong team play, with five players scoring over 10 points: Patty Mills, Tremont Waters, Both Gach, Hugo Besson, and Jae Crowder. For Paris, Nadir Hifi and Tyson Etienne put up impressive performances with 30 and 27 points respectively, but Paris couldn't replicate their Sunday success at Le Mans towards the end of the game.

Nadir Hifi vs. Patty Mills Showdown

Paris started the game with intense energy. Similar to Terry Tarpey, who was rested against Zalgiris, he contributed with a block and a steal within the first minute. This early momentum saw Paris apply significant pressure on their opponents, forcing 9 turnovers in the first quarter. A standout performance from Nadir Hifi, who scored Paris's first five points, helped them build an early lead (15-6, 4th minute). Despite a brief ASVEL resurgence, their inability to protect the ball (9 turnovers after 10 minutes) led to another lost possession, allowing Joël Ayayi to extend the lead on a fast break (19-14, 10th minute).

Even with Nadir Hifi's continued scoring (16 points at halftime), Tony Parker's team stayed close. They found their rhythm through veteran leadership. Jae Crowder and Patty Mills led the scoring for the visitors, combining for 21 points by halftime and hitting crucial shots. It was after an Australian three-pointer that ASVEL took their first lead of the night (42-45, 20th minute). This offensive efficiency spread to their teammates, who proved lethal from long range (8-for-12 after 20 minutes), including Tremont Waters (2-for-2).

Scoring Barrage from Both Sides

After the break, the game transformed into a shooting contest. While Nadir Hifi opened the scoring for the second half (51-49, 22nd minute), ASVEL responded with Both Gach, who made three successful shots (62-65, 26th minute). Fueled by a hot streak from point guard Tyson Etienne, who scored 17 points including four three-pointers in the third quarter, Paris Basketball hit nine shots from beyond the arc, winning this scoring duel. This was capped by a buzzer-beating long-range shot from Ayayi that ignited the Adidas Arena (77-74, 30th minute).

This momentum gave Paris a strong start to the final quarter (87-82, 33rd minute). However, it wasn't enough to shake off ASVEL. Tremont Waters, with 8 points in 3 minutes, kept ASVEL within striking distance (89-87, 35th minute). The visitors even tied the game with less than five minutes remaining (91-91, 36th minute). The score remained tied until the final moments (95-95, 39th minute). Hifi, after a contested foul shot, put Paris back in front following two offensive rebounds from Allan Dokossi (96-95, 39th minute).

Paris Fades in the Final Moments

However, a turnover by Paris shifted the momentum back (96-98, 40th minute). The final play of the game rested on the hands of the French international. Similar to Sunday's game against MSB, he attempted a signature step-back three-pointer, but the ball rolled out, sealing the capital club's defeat. Paris will have a chance to regroup on Sunday against SIG Strasbourg at 4:30 PM, while ASVEL will aim to build on this victory against Roanne on Sunday at 7 PM, followed by a match against Crvena Zvezda on Tuesday at 8 PM.