Paris Basketball open Betclic Elite with narrow win

Paris Basketball began its Betclic Elite title campaign with a win, but the defending French runners-up needed a late recovery to leave Nancy with all the points. The 78-73 result gives the club a positive start to its domestic season, although it followed a difficult opening to its wider campaign, including a EuroLeague defeat by Panathinaikos.

Nadir Hifi led Paris with 23 points, while Sebastian Herrera added 12 and Jared Rhoden scored 15. Allan Dokossi contributed 10 rebounds despite finishing with one point. For Nancy, Kevin Marsillon-Noleo posted 20 points and seven rebounds, and Mohammad Amini had 14 points.

Paris took a six-point lead after the first quarter and remained three ahead at half-time. Nancy then seized control, building a seven-point advantage in the third period before extending it to 10 early in the fourth. Paris responded with tighter defence and a 12-3 run, recovering command during the closing stages.

The victory puts Paris on the board in the opening round, but its form has not yet produced complete assurance. The team had won the Fulfil Supercup a week earlier, yet its first league outing was decided only after Nancy had repeatedly turned the game around. Paris now has a domestic win to build on, rather than a statement performance.