Paris Basketball suffers first defeat under Julius Thomas era against Red Star Belgrade
Julius Thomas is no longer undefeated as a head coach Photo Credit: FOXAEP
Paris Basketball‘s late-season resurgence has hit a roadblock. After four consecutive victories across all competitions, including impressive wins over Bologna and Milan in EuroLeague play, the French champions fell back to earth with a disappointing 91-74 defeat to Red Star Belgrade on Tuesday, April 7th.
The loss marks Julius Thomas’s first defeat since taking over as head coach, ending what had been a perfect start to his tenure. Despite their recent winning streak, Paris remains stuck in 16th place and has long been out of contention for the play-in tournament.
Offensive struggles and defensive breakdowns
The same court that witnessed a heated Belgrade derby just five days earlier saw Red Star bounce back in emphatic fashion. After losing twice to Paris in their previous encounters, the Serbian side found their revenge by completely stifling the visitors’ attack.
Paris’s offensive output dropped dramatically from their recent Italian victories, where they scored 103 points twice. Against Red Star, they managed just 81 points, taking fewer 3-point attempts (31 compared to 36 and 42 the previous week) and converting a dismal 19% from beyond the arc with only 6 successful shots. The American duo of Rhoden and Robinson particularly struggled, combining for just 1-of-14 from 3-point range.
« Generally speaking, we’re doing pretty good work, » said Nadir Hifi (20 points) at halftime. « We need to continue making stops, running, and being aggressive, and we’ll have good chances to win the match. »
Red Star dominance in crucial moments
Unfortunately for Hifi and his teammates, the second half told a completely different story. Red Star’s defense locked down Paris while their offense flourished, with 31 assists (including 14 from Codi Miller-McIntyre alone) showcasing their ball movement superiority.
Rhoden, what did the rim do to you man?! #MotorolaMagicMoment @Moto I @ParisBasketball pic.twitter.com/4cQbJSdfpT
— EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) April 7, 2026
Paris struggled defensively throughout, conceding 34 points in the first quarter alone and 80 through three quarters. Ognjen Dobric was frequently left open in the corner, converting 5-of-9 3-point attempts as Red Star pulled away. The visitors also turned the ball over 18 times while managing just 16 assists.
While Paris managed to stay competitive in the first half through fast-break opportunities and quick scoring runs, Red Star’s home crowd energized the hosts in the second half. The victory moves Red Star (9th) one spot ahead of Monaco (10th) in the standings.
Paris will look to bounce back quickly when they return home to face Maccabi Tel-Aviv in just two days, as Thomas seeks to get his team back on the winning track.
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