Partizan Spoils Paris Basketball's Home Debut in EuroLeague

Paris Basketball remains without a win in the EuroLeague after losing at home to Partizan Belgrade. This follows a significant defeat to Panathinaikos last week. However, the game's start suggested a different outcome for the Parisians.

Paris opened with a 10-0 run, with T.J. Warren, Mouhamed Faye, and teammates appearing unstoppable. Yet, as the second unit entered the game, a slight dip in performance was noticeable. Former Paris player Kyle Allman Jr., despite playing with a slight issue, helped his team narrow the gap to three points by the end of the first quarter (18-15).

Carlik Jones Leads the Charge

The EuroLeague MVP from the first round, Carlik Jones, demonstrated his value once again. The Belgrade point guard was instrumental, contributing 11 points and 3 assists in the first half, finishing with 20 points overall. Paris managed to hold the lead for a significant portion of the second quarter, with Jared Rhoden remaining effective, scoring a three-pointer at the 13th minute to extend the lead to 26-17.

Paris gradually lost control of the game. Former Paris player Lamar Stevens reduced the deficit during a Partizan surge (28-24, 14th minute). The Serbian club maintained their advantage for most of the remainder of the game. Nikola Tanasković's long-range shot at the first-half buzzer put Partizan ahead 40-44, drawing loud cheers from the many Serbian fans in attendance.

Tonye Jekiri Dominates, Paris Guards Outmatched

Coming off the bench, Tonye Jekiri brought significant energy in the second half. Finishing with 15 points and 7 rebounds, the former Fenerbahçe player was a key player in the third quarter, scoring 9 points. Paris stayed close, with captain Herrera scoring twice to bring them within reach of Partizan (57-59, 27th minute, and 63-67, 30th minute). The score remained similar entering the final quarter.

Although a Paris comeback seemed possible following T.J. Warren's drive into the crowded Partizan paint (65-73, 32nd minute), his partnership with Nadir Hifi (19 points) on the perimeter proved insufficient. Experienced player Luca Vildoza (16 points), who was active in stealing balls and scoring on fast breaks, took control for Belgrade. His three-point play with a foul (73-87) with three minutes remaining effectively ended Paris Basketball's hopes. The team must quickly recover from this latest European setback, as they host the strong Zalgiris Kaunas collective on Thursday.

The match's full statistics are available [link to boxscore].

At the Adidas Arena, Paris