Paris Basketball defeats ASVEL in thrilling French EuroLeague derby

Paris Basketball finally found their winning formula in EuroLeague action, overcoming a sluggish start to defeat ASVEL 90-81 in front of their home crowd. The victory marked their first European success in over a month, with American guard Justin Robinson stealing the show with a masterful display that included 25 points, 6 assists, and 6 rebounds for a performance index rating of 32.

The Adidas Arena faithful had to wait for their entertainment, as Paris struggled early against their French rivals. ASVEL controlled the tempo from the opening tip, capitalizing on Paris’s poor 3-point shooting that saw them connect on just 3 of 15 attempts from beyond the arc in the first half.

Early struggles give way to dramatic turnaround

Despite flashes of brilliance, including an alley-oop finish by Mouhamed Faye and a crucial 3-pointer from Amath M’Baye to tie the game at 14-14, Paris found themselves consistently outmuscled, particularly on the boards. ASVEL’s collective effort allowed them to build a commanding lead, heading into halftime with a nine-point advantage at 40-31.

At the break, Sebastian Herrera acknowledged Paris’s difficulties to EuroLeague TV: « We need to fix things. We’re not scoring like we wanted to, defensively we’re making mistakes, and they’re getting more rebounds than us. If we improve on that, it will be good for us. »

The third quarter marked the turning point Paris desperately needed. After falling behind by as many as ten points (46-36), the home side found their rhythm through Robinson’s playmaking. The American guard created a spectacular drive before finding Jeremy Morgan for a 3-pointer that leveled the score at 46-46.

Allan Dokossi‘s impact (12 points and 5 rebounds) combined with Lamar Stevens‘s energy propelled Paris to their first sustained lead of the game, taking a 60-53 advantage into the final quarter. Even Nadir Hifi, quiet in the first half, finally found his scoring touch in the fourth period.

Allan Dokossi is doing it ALL for @ParisBasketball #MotorolaMagicMoment @Moto pic.twitter.com/AAkczqjuXJ

— EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) March 12, 2026

Robinson’s clutch performance seals the deal

ASVEL refused to surrender, with Glynn Watson (14 points and 7 assists) and Thomas Heurtel, who narrowly missed a double-double with 12 points and 9 assists, keeping their team within striking distance. The visitors closed to within two points in the final minutes at 80-78.

That’s when Robinson took complete control. The American guard drained two crucial 3-pointers in the final minute before adding one more basket to definitively close out the contest. His 8 points in the last 45 seconds proved the difference in a tightly contested affair.

This victory represents Paris’s twelfth win of the EuroLeague season and marks their revenge against ASVEL, who had defeated them in December. The Parisians have now won four of their last five EuroLeague contests, improving their record to 12-19. Meanwhile, ASVEL remains at the bottom of the standings with an 8-23 record, despite their competitive showing in this French derby.