Before the meeting, Julien Mahé was wary of the “crazy intensity” of Paris Basketball, the only major French team that the SQBB had never been able to defeat. In the end, the SQBB will still have to wait since the Axonais were no match for Nadir Hifi's team, who lived up to his words about the French team by compiling 29 points at 10/17, his second best mark under the Parisian jersey.
Jerome Robinson excluded
After a balanced start to the match (10‐10, 4′), the players of the capital club took advantage of the opponent's blunders and defensive generosity to widen a first gap in these first ten minutes. Guided by a Nadir Hifi untenable, Paris Basketball got off to a better start despite good resistance from Saint-Quentin (22-25). Eye-catching, Julien Mahé's men were able to count on an omnipresent Dominik Olejniczak in the opposing racket (16 points and 12 rebounds) to stay in contact with the Parisians. Neck to neck in this first half, the SQBB received a blow to the head with the premature exit of Jerome Robinson, expelled. After receiving a technical foul and an unsportsmanlike foul, the player had to leave the field and thus leave his partners. Following this incident of play, the locals let their evening opponents take off just before the break. Leading by 9 points at half-time (36-45), Paris widened the gap at the best of times.
Nolan Traoré misses (1/11) under the eyes of Kyle Korver
If Nadir Hifi stood out in the first half and continued his offensive work (under the eyes of the assistant GM of the Hawks, Kyle Korver, who did not see a great match from Nolan Traoré with only 3 points to 1/ 11), Kevarrius Hayes (2.06 m, 27 years old) (13 points on 5/6 shooting and 5 rebounds) also contributed to the Parisian success this Sunday. Dominating in the paint, the interior allowed his team to maintain a clear advantage in this third quarter (52-77, 30′). Trailing by 25 points ten minutes from time, the SQBB never managed to close the gap. Worse, he even continued to climb during the last quarter, reaching the 33-point mark (54-87, 35′). Unable to stop the Ile-de-France assaults, Julien Mahé's men completely collapsed at the end of the match. A final victory with a river score of 65 to 97, a real offensive recital, which allows Paris to become runner-up to the Cholet leader.
France
