If one day historians examined the Parisian basketball epic and came across the archives, they wouldn’t believe it. They will wonder how a club that started from nothing in 2018 without players, popular support or even a venue worthy of the name, was able to give itself a Christmas present by facing Real Madrid. We are talking about the legendary Spanish White House, winner of the Euroleague 11 times and of the Iberian championship 37 times, and which saw the greatest European players in history parade, from Sabonis to Doncic.
Basketball at Real Madrid has existed for 93 years. Paris Basketball has only existed for 6 years. Real’s budget is close to 40 million euros, Paris’s is half that. But here is already the Parisian club looking at the Madrid monument from its height and without trembling. “As soon as I saw the calendar,” says Thomas, a fan, as he waits for his tray of chips in the corridors of the crowded Adidas Arena, “I booked the date. Real Madrid is magical, you can’t miss it and it doesn’t happen every day. »
Real Madrid’s first match in Paris since 1997
In basketball, the Madrid club had not played in Paris since 1997. “There was a great media impact around this match,” judges the Parisian Léopold Cavalière. Tonight (Tuesday) I will go to bed and think it’s nice, I played against Real Madrid. I honestly didn’t think about it during the match.” A week before Christmas Eve, Real faced the youngster of the competition, with all the respect that the Euroleague leader has earned in just 2 months of competition. “Paris’s journey is absolutely surprising,” Vincent Collet, former coach of the French national team, told AFP the day before.
Unfortunately, the party awaited by 8,000 fans was ruined a little before even entering the room. The fans discover on their smartphones the package of the Parisian magician TJ Shorts, victim like Yakuba Ouattara of a bad virus. “Two hours before the game, TJ wanted to play but at a certain point he told me coach, I can’t”, regrets Tiago Splitter. The Californian elf was supposed to receive the Euroleague MVP trophy of the month of November before kick-off. Ceremony cancelled. His absence greatly complicated the task of his friends. How to win without him?
“Maybe we have returned to our place, that of outsiders”
Even though they haven’t been brilliant since the start of the season, Real have stepped into the breach. But with the prestige of their magic shirt, the Madridians initially forgot how crazy the Parisians can be. Weakened, Tiago Splitter’s players did not give up, multiplying attacks at full speed, shots coming from elsewhere with the German world champion Maodo Lo getting stronger, and a Nadir Hifi as unpredictable as ever. At halftime (48-52), we could still see this incredible Parisian basketball achieve a new feat. They didn’t get there with a 96-85 loss.
After a setback in Asvel, another Sunday in Le Mans in the championship, Paris Basketball suffered a series of 3 defeats in a row. This is new this season. Should we be worried given that Fenerbahçe’s arrival is approaching on Thursday, before the new trip to Asvel on Sunday and the match 24 hours later against Limoges? The Parisian staff and players swear no. “We are going through the toughest week of the season. We knew it since we discovered the calendar,” insists Tiago Splitter.
The ambitious young man naturally expected to experience difficult times. The streak of 10 consecutive victories interrupted a few days ago at the Rhône could not last. “Yes, we knew it and expected it,” continues Cavalière. With these two defeats in the Euroleague perhaps we have returned to our place, that of outsiders. »
Neither tiredness nor doubts
In the standings for the moment the damage is minimal: Paris remains among the elite, very high with the giants of European basketball (2nd, tied with league leaders Monaco). “And I swear we’re not tired,” promises Tyson Ward. Not more than the others anyway, because everyone plays at least two games a week. »
Not tired perhaps, but does doubt creep into people’s minds a little? “There’s no way. There aren’t three defeats that call everything into question. I’m proud of my players, proud of us who lost by just a little, against an excellent Real team”, replies Tiago Splitter, not affected by this setback . There are no doubts, as long as this new series doesn’t last too long.
Fenerbahçe’s arrival on Thursday could be a dangerous first turning point, especially since Paris still risks playing without TJ Shorts. “I don’t know if it will be restored. I hope and pray that it happens, but I don’t know,” Splitter slips.
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