Asvel Edges Paris Basketball 98-96 in Thrilling All-French EuroLeague Clash

The ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne secured a dramatic 98-96 victory over Paris Basketball at the Adidas Arena on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, during the fourth round of the EuroLeague regular season. The thrilling encounter settled the first all-French matchup of the EuroLeague season in front of 6,628 spectators at Porte de la Chapelle. This Paris Basketball-ASVEL clash put an end to a notable streak: during the four previous EuroLeague confrontations between the sides since December 2024, the hosting team had always emerged victorious.

How ASVEL Overturned a Slow Start in Paris

Paris Basketball dominated the opening quarter with intense defensive pressure, capturing a 21-14 lead after ten minutes. Nadir Hifi spearheaded the early surge by scoring 7 of his team’s first 9 points, while the visitors struggled with nine turnovers in the initial period. However, ASVEL corrected their ball-handling issues in the second quarter, outscoring their hosts 32-22 to take a 46-43 advantage into halftime. This Paris-ASVEL fixture marked the first duel of the season between the two largest budgets in the French championship, clubs that aspire to serve as the locomotives of domestic basketball following the near-liquidation of AS Monaco. The game also held special resonance for Pierric Poupet, who served as ASVEL’s head coach for two and a half seasons before becoming an assistant to Maxime Lefèvre in Paris over the summer. ASVEL played the match without pivot Mathis Dossou-Yovo, while Juhann Begarin, signed for a month as a medical joker, did not appear on the team sheet. The encounter unfolded under the gaze of notable figures in the stands, including Teddy Riner, Omar Sy, Tony Estanguet, Gims, and Grand Corps Malade.

Hifi and Etienne Score 57 Points in Shootout

The second half evolved into a high-octane perimeter shootout. Tyson Etienne ignited the Paris offense in the third quarter by scoring 17 of his 27 total points, featuring four successful three-pointers. Joel Ayayi capped the third period with a buzzer-beating triple that put Paris ahead 77-74. Nadir Hifi continued his stellar night, finishing with 30 points and four interceptions—a personal EuroLeague career high—surpassing his previous best of 29 points. Despite the offensive fireworks from Hifi and Etienne, who combined for 57 points, Paris could not hold off a late-game surge from the visitors. At halftime, Paris had struggled from beyond the arc with 5 out of 16 conversions, but the hosts eventually matched ASVEL’s perimeter standards by finishing with 15 successful three-pointers out of 38 attempts, compared to ASVEL’s 14 out of 27. ASVEL distributed 26 assists to Paris’s 16, forced 19 turnovers with 13 interceptions, and secured 24 free-throw opportunities compared to 12 for Paris.

Tremont Waters Seals Victory in the Final Minute

With Paris leading 95-91 with under three minutes remaining, ASVEL mounted a decisive 7-1 run. Hugo Besson scored aggressively, and Patty Mills converted two free throws to tie the game at 95-95. Joel Bolomboy added a late free throw with 12 seconds remaining, leaving Hifi with a final desperation three-point attempt at the buzzer that bounced off the rim, sealing the 98-96 final score. Tremont Waters fueled ASVEL’s late momentum, scoring 8 points in the opening five minutes of the final quarter after returning to the French championship this summer following a turbulent departure in the spring of 2023 amid a rivalry with Victor Wembanyama at Boulogne-Levallois. Waters finished the night with 19 points without missing a single shot from the field, going 6 for 6, while veteran Patty Mills contributed 21 points, Both Gach added 17, and Hugo Besson scored 16.

ASVEL Reaches 2-2 Record as Paris Drops to 1-3

The victory lifts Tony Parker’s ASVEL squad to an even 2-2 record after four EuroLeague fixtures. Meanwhile, Paris Basketball drops to a 1-3 record, failing to build upon their previous victory against Zalgiris Kaunas. Both clubs return to European action next week: ASVEL will host Red Star Belgrade at the Astroballe on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at 20:00 local time, while Paris Basketball will conclude its four-game homestand by hosting Virtus Bologna at the Adidas Arena on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, at 20:45 local time. These fixtures take place as the EuroLeague continues against the backdrop of rejected NBA proposals regarding the competition’s future.