A first "reference match" for Tony Parker's ASVEL, who brought down Paris Basketball

The first clash of the new French rivalry between Paris Basketball and ASVEL lived up to all its promise! In a packed Adidas Arena, ASVEL ended up winning on the buzzer (96-98) despite a monumental performance from Nadir Hifi (30 points, his EuroLeague record) and Tyson Etienne (27 points).

Naturally, finding the resources to pull through, despite such hot streaks from Paris, reveals significant depth in the Villeurbanne camp. While 13 turnovers had already been racked up by halftime, Tony Parker's men came out of the locker room with more intent and focus. A factor that Tony Parker had clearly emphasized, as he recounted in the press conference.

"What I need to manage is the turnovers"

For the Villeurbanne coach, this victory in the capital was built above all in the mind. Despite the Parisian pressure and the lapses in concentration that plagued the team early in the match, his players managed to keep their cool right up to crunch time. "Mentally, I found the team very solid. We showed character, it's not easy to hold on in this arena or to win with 13 turnovers at halftime. So that bodes well for the future", said Tony Parker. "We stayed strong mentally. We didn't give up. We stayed calm," he noted with satisfaction.

Looking back at his players' mistakes, who were giving away too many balls, the Rhone-based coach didn't hide that he had to raise his voice at the break. "I just put on some pressure, they really annoyed me. Plus, I was wearing a mic for EuroLeague... So I'm sorry for all the swearing", he jokingly apologized, before pinpointing his main priority: "What I need to manage is the turnovers. Making sure we don't have too many turnovers. And the defense."

Patty Mills, a hero who needs "a lot of rest"

While defensive discipline still needs refining, ASVEL's offense is already running at full speed. With 98 points on the board in the end, the Villeurbanne side once again showed off their firepower and long-range shooting to thwart the Adidas Arena crowd's hopes. "We play very, very well on offense. We've already seen it, we've already proven it. [...] It's not an offensive problem. We have strengths, we play good basketball, we pass the ball well", the coach hammered home.

With 21 points, Patty Mills was one of the key figures behind this win, showing valuable composure in tense moments. But Tony Parker knows he won't always be able to rely on this, given the Australian's age. "Pat' is always valuable. He has a huge amount of experience, and he's getting stronger. I had decided to rest him, along with Jae [Crowder], against Gravelines, which was a big risk for us. But I know very well that in the long run, if I want to have Patty and Jae at their best, I'll need to rest them a lot during the French championship. It's going to be like that all year, and I'll own that, anyway."

A "reference match" after six games

Crowned by the perfect execution of the plays called in the final two minutes, the trip to Paris stands out as a small turning point in Villeurbanne's start to the season. "For now, this is a reference match, that's for sure. It's our biggest win. It's our reference match of the start of the season," Tony Parker states without hesitation. "Winning at their place, especially when they're on fire... Yes, of course, it's a reference win."

A foundational win against the new domestic rival, before continuing with an equally demanding schedule. ASVEL hosts Chorale Roanne for a possible revenge after the LNB SuperCup, before Crvena Zvezda and Real Madrid stand in Tony Parker's path.

From the Adidas Arena, Paris...