Paris Basketball was hot and messy, but ended up getting through it. Surprised by Cholet in the first leg before recovering away from home, the Parisians finally won the quarter-final play-off match (74-62). Beaten after a series of 25 victories by the Choletais at the Arena Porte de la Chapelle during the opening match (91-81), the Parisians did not fall a second time in their new home.
But they showed some signs of fatigue, far from the form displayed from February to mid-May, when they were irresistible. However, they will have to put their heart into work on Thursday against Asvel in a best-of-five series after waiting until the last minutes to break away from Cholet, lacking skill, particularly at long distance (9/31). And who precisely became threatening again (52-47, 33rd) by twice finding the net behind the arc, by Kim Tillie (11 pts) and TJ Campbell.
But Paris, muddled and uninspired collectively, managed to find the solution, notably through Nadir Hifi. Struggling during the first two outings (10 pts cumulative to 1/12 to 3 pts), the French international leader alternated the good (two winning shots to start, 22 pts in total) and the less good (6/14 to 2 pts).
But he knew how to adjust the sights at the right time, to give an 11-point lead (63-52) four minutes from the end and score eight points in the last quarter. Two minutes later, Paris increased its lead to 14 units to avoid cold sweats at the very end of the match. But he will have to raise his profile in the semi-finals, where he will meet Asvel, a great regular in these final games.