Madrid rally
The home side imposed their fast tempo on the game. Hifi, Robinson and Cavaliere were on target to keep an uncomfortable and luckless Madrid at arm’s length, as all the split balls ended up in points for the Parisians. Despite being 9 down on two occasions, Scariolo‘s men did not despair. They picked up their defensive game, continued with their good work on the offensive rebounding and relied on a great Lyles (9 points in the second quarter) to get close again, although they were unable to complete the comeback. Free throws (7/12) and Paris Basketball’s very high shooting percentages prevented them from doing so. Another run of their own, spearheaded by Mbaye, once again distanced the home side at half-time (50-42).
The pattern of the game was not going to change in the third quarter with Paris Basketball playing very short possessions and, above all, making them, and Madrid coming close at times but not managing to catch up. Seven straight points from Hezonja brought the deficit from 13 to four points. But the home side were untroubled. In their anarchic play, there was always a run by one player to restore the lead (75-66, min. 30).
Contest decided at the end
With the team down 10 at the midway point of the last quarter and Paris Basketball showing no signs of slackening their pace, Madrid summoned their character and fought back to turn the score around. They defended and hit five three-pointers, with Lyles and Feliz getting the team on track. A three-pointer by the point guard put Madrid ahead 89-90 with 1:40 seconds left. But in the next play Hifi, the team’s best player today, hit a 2+1. Rhoden, with a basket, prevented our team from taking the victory from Paris (98-92, min. 40).
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