The Leaders Cup final will be 100% Ile-de-France!
This Saturday evening, Paris Basketball took on Monaco in the semi-final after a high-intensity encounter.
For its very first participation in the competition, which sees the eight best teams in the championship compete, Paris advances to the final against Nanterre.
Winners of the surprising promoted Saint-Quentin in the quarter, the Parisians saw Monaco, the undisputed leader of Betclic Élite, coming up against them, whom they had never beaten since their rise to the first division in 2021. But Tuomas Iisalo's men were managed to hold off the Roca Team at the start of the match, finishing only three points behind at the end of the first quarter (21-24).
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Following which Monaco, who lost Le Mans in the quarter, regained the upper hand, carried by Élie Okobo.
Trailing by ten points, the Parisians did not give in either and remained wisely at a distance, among other things thanks to Nadir Hifi.
Thanks to three-point baskets from Sy, Ngouama and a final one from Herrera, Paris was only down by one point at the break.
Upon returning from the locker room, the Finnish players even went back in front for a while, enough to wake up Monegasque Mike James, author of eight points in a row.
More comfortable, liberated, the Roca Team regained a good advantage in the score thanks to Ouattara.
Parisian response with Shorts' three points, in a high-level mano a mano.
Before the last quarter, Paris did not let Monaco fly away and remained in contact, six points behind.
In the last act, the Monegasques scared themselves, not concluding actions which are usually finished.
Opposite, Paris did not take advantage at first, the fault of two missed shots from Hifi, but Mehdy Ngouama's interception punished Monaco five minutes from the end, allowing Paris Basket to get back in front.
MEHDY NGOUAMA'S HUGE TOMAR AND THE LOOK AT THE END 🤯🤯#LeadersCup @ParisBasketball pic.twitter.com/6v9TR4KeDE
— LNB (@LNBofficiel) February 17, 2024
Two minutes from the end, a perfect three-point basket from Hifi allowed the Parisians to push past Monaco, to lead by seven points.
Clumsy with free throws (four missed in the last two minutes), the Monegasques were unable to come back on Paris to finally lose (98-93) and offer Paris Basket its first final in the competition, which will take place on Sunday at 6:30 p.m.