Betclic ELITE Playoffs: Cholet Stuns Paris Basketball in Game 1: TJ Campbell Orchestrates a Stunning Semifinal Upset
Cholet Stuns Paris in Game 1 Photo Credit : Florentin BRUERE
Nobody saw this coming. On June 2, 2026, Cholet walked into Paris Basketball‘s arena as clear underdogs and walked out with a stunning 90-89 victory in Game 1 of the Betclic ELITE semifinals. One point. That is all that separated a heavily favored Paris side from what would have been a comfortable home opener.
The result sends an immediate signal: this series is far from decided.
TJ Campbell: The Architect of Cholet’s Upset
The story of the night belongs to T.J. Campbell. In just 24 minutes and 30 seconds on the floor, the Cholet guard posted 19 points and 8 assists — a production rate that speaks to both his efficiency and his impact on the game’s rhythm. Campbell did not just score; he dictated. His ability to consistently put teammates in favorable positions allowed Cholet to spread the offensive load across the roster, making them extremely difficult to defend.
Monsieur T.J. Campbell 🫡🫡#CBFAMILY pic.twitter.com/xMbAfQ3aqa
— Cholet Basket (@CB_officiel) June 2, 2026
That balance proved to be the decisive factor. Jamuni McNeace, Deandre Gholston, and Gérald Ayayi each contributed 12 points, while Mohamed Diarra added 9 points and 6 rebounds. Five players in double figures or near it — a collective performance that gave Paris no single defensive priority to focus on.
Paris Basketball 89 - 90 Cholet · Betclic ELITE · 02/06/2026Game PTS REB AST Paris Basketball Jared Rhoden 16 8 2 Justin Robinson 5 1 4 Daulton Hommes 22 4 1 Léopold Cavalière 0 3 0 Allan Dokossi 3 7 1 Jeremy Morgan 8 5 2 Nadir Hifi 19 3 4 Yakuba Ouattara 10 3 0 Amath M'Baye 6 2 4 Enzo Shahrvin 0 1 0 Mouhamed Faye 0 10 1 Joël Ayayi 0 0 0 Cholet T.J. Campbell 19 1 8 Nathan De Sousa 6 1 3 Digué Diawara 3 5 2 Jamuni McNeace 12 4 0 Qudus Wahab 2 3 0 Nils Lobry-Pathouot 0 0 0 Deandre Gholston 12 3 1 Chibuzo Agbo 3 0 0 Mohamed Diarra 9 6 1 Aaron Towo-Nansi 7 1 2 Keshawn Justice 5 5 0 Gérald Ayayi 12 3 1
Paris’s Firepower Wasn’t Enough
Paris Basketball was not without answers. Daulton Hommes led the home side with 22 points, while Nadir Hifi added 19 and Jared Rhoden contributed a strong double-contribution line of 16 points and 8 rebounds. On paper, that is more than enough offensive output to win a playoff game.
But individual scoring totals do not always translate into victories. Despite the firepower, Paris could not find the decisive basket when it mattered most, and Cholet’s collective discipline held firm down the stretch. The one-point margin reflects just how tight the contest was throughout — this was not a game that slipped away early, but one that remained on a knife’s edge until the final buzzer.
Nadir Hifi (Paris Basketball) - Daulton Hommes (Paris Basketball)Nadir Hifi Daulton Hommes PTS 19 22 REB 3 4 AST 4 1 STL 1 0 BLK 0 0
The loss raises immediate questions for Paris Basketball heading into Game 2. Their top performers delivered, yet the team still came up short at home. That is a difficult reality to process, and adjustments will be necessary if they are to respond in the next game.
For Cholet, the challenge now is to maintain the same level of execution on the road. Replicating a performance this balanced and disciplined is never guaranteed, but Game 1 has proven they are more than capable of competing at this level. Campbell’s orchestration of the offense will once again be central to their chances.
The Betclic ELITE 2025-2026 semifinals are very much alive.
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