All fire all flames !
Standing for the last two minutes, the audience, which had become incandescent like the pre-match pyrotechnic show, chanted “defense”, “defense”.
The Paris La Défense Arena rumbles, roars like it rarely does.
A few seconds before the buzzer, the feat is still possible.
But at the end of a duel with breathtaking suspense until the last second, the Nanterre basketball club ended up surrendering (80-86), this Wednesday evening, against Monaco in an advanced match of the 24th day of Betclic Elite.
It was almost nothing.
From a detail.
From a poorly negotiated rebound or a loss of ball in the last seconds that that devil Mike James snatched from the hands of Benjamin Sene.
“Not much,” summed up Pascal Donnadieu.
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But despite the defeat, the celebration was total.
The splendid show.
In the game and in the many activities offered.
You just had to see the smiles and listen to the spectators to be convinced.
“I had never seen Nanterre or even a basketball match in my life but it was incredible,” confides Robert, 27, from Massy.
The room is huge and the atmosphere was crazy.
They made me want to come back.
»
For its 3rd match relocated to the immense La Défense arena, Nanterre kept its promises.
Despite the obligation to play on a Wednesday evening - the first two editions were held on a Sunday afternoon - the club attracted 15,767 spectators.
A little less than the 16,319 in 2023 but more than 15,220 tickets came in 2018. This is the 2nd best attendance in the history of the French Championship.
Nanterre is on the 3 steps of the podium.
A hell of a performance.
“There was an extraordinary atmosphere at the end of the match,” appreciated Pascal Donnadieu.
But the public followed the match, with our first period it was difficult for them to get excited.
He reacted like that at the end because we offered a great game.” And offered a hell of a lot of suspense.
Relive the best moments of the clash between @Nanterre92 and @ASMonaco_Basket!
🏟️ More than 15,000 people at @ParisLaDefArena.
🍿 An exciting storyline.
👑 Mike James stratospheric.#BetclicELITE pic.twitter.com/hvX03gj1A5
— LNB (@LNBofficiel) February 28, 2024
After the international break, the championship was back to normal with a shock.
A duel between Nanterre - 5th in Betclic Élite and recent unfortunate finalist in the Leaders Cup - and leader Monaco.
The reigning French champion, main candidate for his succession and 3rd in the Euroleague final four last season.
After an indecisive first quarter (13-12, 6th, then 20-21, 9th), the debate shifted into the second act.
Led by an insatiable Mike James who, after a week of rest, had ants in his legs (15 points in the first quarter, 31 points in the end, his career record), Monaco inflicted an 8-18 on the Nanterriens in 6 minutes and widens the gap (28-36, 14th then 54-72, 30th).
The handicap becomes significant.
Too much.
Crippling.
But the little green men of Nanterre suddenly become… green giants.
The duel is intense, magnificent.
Undecided.
Justin Bibbins, Bastien Pinault chain 3-point shots.
30 seconds from the buzzer, a free throw from Hamady Ndiaye allows Nanterre to come within one length (80-81).
The feat is at your fingertips... But Mike James will put an end to the suspense.
He scored the last 7 points for the Roca Team and made a decisive interception.
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“At halftime I reorganized the team,” revealed Pascal Donnadieu.
In the first half, perhaps because of the atmosphere, we did not show the face we have had since the start of the season.
I asked for more collective action, more sacrifice in defense.
Despite the defeat I am proud, we showed that we could bother a team like Monaco if we gave ourselves the means.
We can't go up 18 points in Monaco if we don't have qualities.
»
“We are disappointed but it is deserved, we took too long to play our game,” continued Bastien Pinault.
We are a real team, everyone must accept and respect their role.
When we came back to minus 3 at the end the atmosphere was incredible.
It gave you chills.
It's a moment that we will remember for the rest of our lives.
I think the show was better than last year, maybe we’ll win next year’s…”
In the meantime, the revenge should not take long since the two teams will meet again in a little over two weeks, in the Arena Loire in Trélazé, for the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France which took place this Wednesday before the match.
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Furthermore, it is difficult to imagine that representatives of the NBA did not take advantage of this match to come and take a look at this venue - the largest indoor venue in Europe - in the configuration of a basketball match.
After three editions of the NBA Paris Game in the Accor Arena at Bercy in Paris, the fourth edition scheduled for 2025 - and which should see Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs arrive in France - could indeed change scenery and settle in Nanterre.
The rumors are numerous and persistent.
After the Tennis Masters, the Accor Arena would lose another of its family jewels.
But with a record ceiling height of 42 meters - which offers numerous possibilities for events like this Wednesday with the impressive descent of the Nanterre mascot - and a reception capacity almost twice as large, Paris La Défense Arena has serious arguments to seduce Americans... The spectators are witnesses to it.
The response should not take long.