It’s an image we’re not used to seeing. Sitting on his bench, Tuomas Iisalo seems stunned, apathetic. Without the slightest solution. The Paris Basketball coach, usually incessantly active and communicative on his bench, is unrecognizable in the middle of the third quarter. Like his players who have long been shadows of themselves.
Three days after having succeeded in a demonstration of force and basketball on the Asvel field, swept away (66-86 Sunday), they indeed trembled and suffered for a long time before reversing a very compromised situation and winning (92 -90 ap), this Wednesday evening, against Cholet during the 31st day of Betclic Élite, the French Basketball Championship.
An important success which allows them to maintain this 2nd place in the ranking, so important in view of the playoffs. A place that the players from Bourg, winners at the same time on the floor of the Metropolitans (82-101), thought they had stolen them for a few moments.
Because Paris Basketball, which was playing its first home match (in front of 4,500 people) since its Eurocup coronation, had to draw on its reserves to achieve this victory. Trailing by 20 points at the heart of the 3rd quarter (47-67, 26th) and deprived of Nadir Hifi, sent off for a second technical foul, the Parisians were shaken up like rarely this season. Cholet and his nugget Tidjane Salaün (15 pts and 7 rebounds for the one who is announced in the top 10 of the next NBA draft) have long thought they could achieve their feat. But the Parisians ultimately – and as often – relied on their conductor TJ Shorts (25 points in the end, including 7 in overtime) to get out of this trap.
The latter even had the winning shot at the end of regulation time but the ball bounced on the circle before moving away. The overtime was also uncertain until the end, until the last second when Tyson Ward missed his second free throw on purpose to put an end to the duel (92-90 AD)
Thanks to this turnaround, Paris now extends its unbeaten streak to 21 victories. He has not lost since a trip to Strasbourg on January 27 in the championship (89-86). Since Herrera’s partners (17 points) have imposed their law on France and Europe, piled up – now – 12 successes in Betclic Elite, gleaned the Leaders Cup (first trophy in the history of the club) – by notably offering the ogre Monaco – then won the Eurocup.
Not sure, however, that the demanding Tuomas Iisalo is satisfied with it. A reaction from Sunday at home against… Bourg – for the remake of the Eurocup final – is expected.
