EuroLeague : Le Partizan Belgrade s'impose face au Paris Basketball
Version Française
Le Paris Basketball a vécu une soirée difficile à l'adidas arena ce jeudi, peinant à trouver ses marques sur son propre terrain. L'ambiance était largement dominée par les supporters du Partizan Belgrade, venus en masse et très vocaux, transformant le match à domicile en un véritable déplacement pour l'équipe parisienne.
La ferveur des fans du Partizan est légendaire. Un membre de l'organisation a souligné leur passion dévorante pour le club, la décrivant comme 'leur raison d'être', un sentiment qui transcende toutes les sections sportives. Cette loyauté persiste malgré le départ de la figure emblématique Zeljko Obradovic en novembre dernier, de nombreux supporters espérant encore son retour.
Une ferveur intimidante
Isaac Bonga a rapidement donné l'avantage au Partizan (0-2), déclenchant les clameurs des supporters serbes. Le Paris Basketball, évoluant dans un climat hostile, a eu du mal à trouver son rythme en attaque, ratant ses premiers tirs à trois points. Cependant, l'équipe parisienne a compensé par une défense solide, notamment grâce à Derek Willis, auteur de deux contres dès le premier quart-temps (9-10).
L'effort défensif a fini par payer en attaque. Jeremy Morgan, Yakuba Ouattara et Nadir Hifi ont trouvé la mire à longue distance (15-12), donnant aux champions de France un élan bienvenu. Sous l'impulsion du 'Prince de Paris' également adroit à trois points, l'équipe a accentué son avance avant une réponse de Sterling Brown (20-15).
Jusque-là discret, Nick Calathès a pris les choses en main, enchaînant paniers et passes décisives pour redonner l'avantage au Partizan (23-24). Le meneur grec, même avec un tir à trois points inattendu pour sa spécialité, a maintenu son équipe à flot (30-32).
Un 'mano a mano' intense a caractérisé la fin de la première mi-temps. Paris, fort d'une défense active (4 contres), a trouvé de l'agressivité en attaque. Yakuba Ouattara a notamment orchestré un 5-0 permettant aux Parisiens de reprendre l'avantage (43-42), mais un ballon perdu en fin de période a permis au Partizan de rentrer aux vestiaires avec une courte avance (43-46).
Calathès en métronome
Malgré un tir primé de Jared Rhoden (53-52), Paris n'est pas parvenu à prendre l'ascendant après la pause. Nick Calathès a une nouvelle fois frappé à longue distance, consolidant l'avance de son équipe (53-57).
Bien qu'Amath M'baye ait riposté pour Paris, c'est Calathès, avec sa septième passe décisive, qui a permis au Partizan de creuser l'écart et d'aborder le dernier quart-temps avec une avance confortable (57-66).
Au début du dernier quart-temps, malgré les efforts parisiens, le contrôle du match était clairement passé aux mains des Serbes. Aleksej Pokusewski, avec 7 points consécutifs, a même offert à son équipe sa plus grande avance de la soirée (61-73).
Paris a tenté un retour grâce à un tir à trois points de Lamar Stevens (72-79), mais a ensuite manqué plusieurs occasions de réduire l'écart. Le Partizan en a profité, et Isaac Bonga, bien servi par l'inévitable Calathès, a mis fin au suspense (74-84).
Nick Calathès, avec un double-double de 12 points et 10 passes décisives, a été l'homme du match pour la victoire serbe (81-90). Les 23 points de Nadir Hifi côté parisien, bien que notables, n'ont pas suffi. Ce revers fait reculer le Paris Basketball à la 17e place du classement, dépassé par le Partizan.
English Version
Paris Basketball faced a challenging evening at the adidas arena this Thursday, struggling to find its footing on its own court. The atmosphere was largely dominated by the passionate and vocal Partizan Belgrade supporters, who turned the home game into what felt like an away match for the Parisian team.
The fervor of Partizan fans is legendary. A member of the organization highlighted their consuming passion for the club, describing it as 'their reason for being,' a sentiment that transcends all sports sections. This loyalty persists despite the departure of iconic figure Zeljko Obradovic last November, with many supporters still hoping for his return.
An Intimidating Fervor
Isaac Bonga quickly put Partizan ahead (0-2), igniting cheers from the Serbian fans. Paris Basketball, playing in a hostile environment, struggled to find its offensive rhythm, missing its first three-point attempts. However, the Parisian team compensated with solid defense, notably through Derek Willis, who recorded two blocks early in the first quarter (9-10).
The defensive effort eventually paid off on offense. Jeremy Morgan, Yakuba Ouattara, and Nadir Hifi found their range from beyond the arc (15-12), giving the French champions welcome momentum. Driven by the 'Prince of Paris,' who was also effective from three-point range, the team extended its lead before a response from Sterling Brown (20-15).
Previously discreet, Nick Calathes took charge, stringing together baskets and assists to put Partizan back in the lead (23-24). The Greek point guard, even with an unexpected three-pointer for his specialty, kept his team afloat (30-32).
An intense back-and-forth characterized the end of the first half. Paris, buoyed by active defense (4 blocks), found aggression on offense. Yakuba Ouattara notably orchestrated a 5-0 run, allowing the Parisians to retake the lead (43-42), but a turnover at the end of the period allowed Partizan to enter halftime with a narrow lead (43-46).
Calathes as a Metronome
Despite a three-pointer from Jared Rhoden (53-52), Paris failed to gain the upper hand after the break. Nick Calathes once again struck from long range, consolidating his team's lead (53-57).
Although Amath M'baye countered for Paris, it was Calathes, with his seventh assist, who allowed Partizan to widen the gap and enter the final quarter with a comfortable lead (57-66).
At the start of the final quarter, despite Parisian efforts, control of the game had clearly shifted to the Serbs. Aleksej Pokusewski, with 7 consecutive points, even gave his team its largest lead of the evening so far (61-73).
Paris attempted a comeback with a three-pointer from Lamar Stevens (72-79) but then missed several opportunities to close the gap. Partizan capitalized, and Isaac Bonga, perfectly assisted by the inevitable Calathes, ended the suspense (74-84).
Nick Calathes, with a double-double of 12 points and 10 assists, was the man of the match for the Serbian victory (81-90). Nadir Hifi's 23 points for Paris, though notable, were not enough. This defeat drops Paris Basketball to 17th place in the standings, surpassed by Partizan.
Fresh materials — Sports News

Pauline Astier Signs with the New York Liberty
The New York Liberty have secured a promising young talent in Pauline Astier, who at just 24 years old, embodies the club's strategy of acquiring skilled players ready to make an immediate impact and grow into cornerstone players within the league. "Pauline Astier is precisely the type of

Marine Johannès, Gabby Williams, and Iliana Rupert Reach Euroleague Final
Fenerbahçe secured their spot in the Euroleague final with a decisive 76-59 victory over Spar Girona, marking their fourth final appearance in five editions. After a slow start, the Turkish team found their offensive rhythm before halftime, establishing a double-digit lead with a 16-5 run that

EuroLeague to Remain 20 Teams Next Season
The EuroLeague basketball championship will continue with its established 20-team structure for the upcoming season. The competition will follow a familiar round-robin format, with each team playing 38 games before advancing to the playoffs. This anticipated decision comes as the league's chief, C

Lauri Markkanen to Play Against France in July
Finnish basketball player Lauri Markkanen has confirmed his participation in upcoming international matches, including a game against France in July. Markkanen, who had a limited NBA season with the Utah Jazz due to a hip injury, sees these games as a crucial opportunity to regain his form and rh

NBA: Darko Rajaković Becomes First European Coach in Playoffs
"So many players, so many coaches from the former Yugoslavia, and especially from Serbia, made this journey possible for me. Without all these successes in the national team, in clubs, and without the individual successes of players and then coaches, I would never have reached where I am," com

Adrian Nelson Renews Contract with JL Bourg After Injury Layoff
Adrian Nelson, who joined JL Bourg in the summer of 2024 from Bamberg, Germany, will continue with the team for the upcoming season. Despite being sidelined for the entire 2025-2026 season due to injury, Nelson showed promise in the 2024-2025 season, averaging 9.4 points and 4.7 rebounds. The