Latest:
oct 07 2026The French EuroLeague derby had an unwritten rule, and ASVEL shattered it on Wednesday. In the four previous matchups, the home team had always won, but this time Tony Parker's squad claimed victory at the Adidas Arena (96-98) with a thrilling finish in the final minute. Patty Mills and Tremont Waters hit the decisive baskets with the score tied at 95, and along the way ASVEL withstood the 57 combined points from Nadir Hifi and Tyson Etienne.
The atmosphere was electric. The Paris crowd welcomed Tony Parker with banners and a song featuring him and Booba blaring at full volume, and the game, which truly ignited after halftime, delivered on its promise.
Paris Basketball's Pressure, First
Paris Basketball came out smothering ASVEL's point guards from the opening second, applying full-court pressure. Within two minutes, ASVEL had already turned the ball over three times, and Nadir Hifi made them pay: a steal, a fast-break layup, and a corner three-pointer gave him 9 points and 3 steals in the first quarter. The hosts weren't sharp from beyond the arc (2 of 9 from three), but ASVEL struggled to find open looks (4 of 14 from the field), and the first quarter ended 21-14.
A Second Quarter of 22-32
Paris Basketball continued attacking with high volume but without their earlier accuracy, and ASVEL found their rhythm on offense. A barrage of three-pointers, including a three-point play in the mix, led by Jae Crowder, erased the deficit. A Patty Mills three-pointer put ASVEL ahead (42-45), and Parker's squad went into halftime leading 43-46, after a second quarter of 22-32.
Also Read
Etienne's 17 Points
The second half was a back-and-forth affair, with plenty of shooting on both sides and a barrage of three-pointers. Hifi finally found his rhythm, but the star of the third quarter was Tyson Etienne. He had scored just 4 points in the first half and in ten minutes added 17, answering every basket from Mills, Waters, and Hugo Besson. Thanks to him, Paris Basketball regained the lead and closed the third quarter at 77-74, after a 34-28 run.
The Final Quarter, Experience Prevails
The fourth quarter was evenly matched, but in the final minute ASVEL's veteran experience made the difference. With the score tied 95-95 at the 39-minute mark, Waters and Mills hit the last baskets. Paris Basketball managed just one more point, and ASVEL took the game, outscoring Paris 24-19 in the fourth quarter.
ASVEL evens its record to 2-2 in a season start marked by the club's financial troubles, and they did it without their starting center, Mathis Dossou-Yovo, who has yet to debut in the EuroLeague. Paris Basketball falls to 1-3 and loses a derby at home for the first time.
The History
Until Wednesday, ASVEL had won both of their home derbis (98-93 in December 2024 and 94-89 in December 2025), and Paris Basketball had won theirs at the Adidas Arena (91-82 in January 2025 and 90-81 in March 2026). The 96-98 result is the first road victory and the closest of the five matchups.
