A suspended moment. Almost unreal. Just before the 24-second buzzer sounded, Nadir Hifi rose into the air, higher than his direct opponent, and fired a “hallelujah” 3-point shot. The 11,764 spectators at the Accor Arena – and the numerous VIPs including the artist Malik Bentalha and judokate Clarisse Agbégnénou who came with her Olympic medals – jumped at the same time as the ball pierced the basket.
Thanks to this shot of which he has the secret, the Little Prince of Paris gave Paris Basketball a 15-length lead against the great Panathinaikos of Athens (42-27) this Tuesday evening during the 3rd day of the Euroleague. While the Parisians were promised hell, not strong enough to play in the big leagues, they offered themselves paradise with a victory in style (84-80).
Empty and beaten by the Red Star of Belgrade (80-77) and Milan (79-74), Paris did not wait long to achieve its first success and achieve its first coup in the most prestigious competition basketball club from the old continent. This victory was obtained, in style, against the reigning champion, one of the finest teams in Europe. Paris has proven that it has its place at the big table. The message is sent.
The duel of champions kept all its promises. More than what Parisian supporters could have hoped for with the clash between two reigning European champion teams: the Eurocup for Paris and its big sister the Euroleague for the Greeks. The latter, the main candidates for their succession, presented themselves in Paris with full confidence, undefeated in all competitions. Two months after reaching the final of the Paris Games against the American Avengers (87-98 defeat), Olympic vice-champion Mathias Lessort returned to the scene of the Accor Arena. He received as much ovation from the French supporters as from the hundreds of Greeks present in the room.
Lessort, thanks to two baskets in a row, quickly got his team back on track (5-7, 3rd). Undecided, intense, the match changed for the first time at the end of the first quarter with a series of 9 straight points from Hifi (19-15, 9th). A 21-8 from the start of the second act allowed the Parisians to take a lead of up to 15 points (42-27, 16th). Enzo Shahrvin, barely 21 years old, contained the fervor of Lessort and others. It was the partners of TJ Shorts – who celebrated its 27th anniversary – who set the tone, imposed the rhythm, won the battle for the rebound. Their all-terrain defense stifled the Pana stars who seemed helpless and were floundering in their basketball.
Four minutes from the end of the game the suspense was unbearable. Each ball was fiercely contested, players from both teams threw themselves on the floor to wrest possession. A technical foul on the Pana coach and an unsportsmanlike foul caused a long time out. The speaker took the opportunity to point out the presence in the room of Vincent Collet. The former coach of the Blues, the coach with eight international medals, received a huge ovation from the public at the Accor Arena. Even Mathias Lessort applauded him.
This break did not disturb the partners of Nadir Hifi (20 points in the end). Despite a comeback from the Greeks (83-80) a few seconds before the buzzer, they offered themselves one of the most important, most improbable victories in the club’s history. It will be necessary to confirm this Thursday on the floor of Bayern Munich. In the meantime, Parisians could savor this unreal and yet very true moment.
