No time to celebrate qualifying for the first European final in its history! Less than 48 hours after its second success against London (85-93) in the semi-final of the Eurocup, Paris Basketball is already on deck. And it's still quite a challenge that awaits the Parisian club, with a derby on the program.
Opposite, Nanterre will discover the Adidas Arena this Easter Sunday (7 p.m. on Skweek and the L'Équipe channel). It's not only a derby, it's also the remake of the Leaders Cup final won by the capital club (90-85) last February. And above all it is a match at the top of French basketball between two teams already qualified for the playoffs.
THE DERBY AT HOME 💥👊🔜
The family will meet this Sunday at 7 p.m. for the Nanterre reception for a Betclic Élite shock at the adidas arena 🏟️
🎟️ https://t.co/x6SCNCBfKv 🎟️ pic.twitter.com /mS0ujcJe5Z
— Paris Basketball (@ParisBasketball) March 27, 2024
Eight days before the end of the regular season, Paris tickles the Monegasque leader, installed in second place in the provisional ranking (19 wins, 7 defeats). Nanterre is just behind, fifth with only two fewer victories (17W, 9L).
Without making any noise, the Hauts-de-Seine club is having its best season since its 4th place at the end of the 2018-2019 regular season. Pascal Donnadieu's team has not participated in the playoffs since that time. In the meantime, Nanterre sometimes scared itself into not going down. The coach who has been in place for 37 years will therefore not leave without one last last stand.
Read alsoBasketball: “I’m stopping my coaching career after the Paris Games”, the confidence of Pascal Donnadieu
At the end of this season, before returning to the Blues staff for the Olympics, the president's brother, Frédéric, will pass the baton to Philippe Da Silva, his current deputy. “I am sure that all his players invested even more than they normally would have done to give him this great season. What they have been doing, offering us very good basketball for quite a while, is strong,” considers Pape-Philippe Amagou, the former French champion with Le Mans (2006, 2018) and Nancy (2008). ) and Skweek consultant.
“Nanterre has once again become a stronghold”
In the shadow of the dominant trio Monaco, Asvel and Paris, Nanterre is reliving its glory days, eleven years after the title of French champion and a few years after its victories in the European Cups: in the Eurochallenge in 2015 then in the Coupe d' FIBA Europe in 2017. Paris is thus challenging one of the rare French clubs which has triumphed on the European scene and the club from the capital will try to imitate it very soon.
“This season, coach Donnadieu has put together a well-built team. It has a slightly less shooter profile than its predecessors. Until then, Pascal liked having snipers. It's a little less the case this time, but she has talent and she plays harder. Nanterre has once again become a stronghold of French basketball and so much the better, because it remains an endearing club with its knowledgeable and pushing public,” continues Pape-Philippe Amagou.
The uncertainty of the derby lies in the ability of Paris Basketball to bounce back after its trip to London on Friday evening. Heavy legs or not? In any case, it promises a derby that will be worth a look, the first 100% from Ile-de-France in the new setting of Porte de la Chapelle (18th century).