ASVEL and Paris Basketball Suffer Heavy Defeats in EuroLeague
French basketball clubs continue their difficult autumn campaign in Europe’s premier competition, as ASVEL and Paris Basketball both absorbed heavy losses during the seventh round of the EuroLeague. On Friday, October 23, 2026, ASVEL dropped to 17th in the standings after a 105-85 defeat away to Zalgiris Kaunas, while Paris fell 104-93 at home against Valencia.
Zalgiris Kaunas Overwhelms ASVEL in Lithuania
Playing on the road in Kaunas, Tony Parker’s squad failed to find an answer against a Lithuanian side that entered the fixture still searching for its first home victory of the continental campaign. Zalgiris quickly asserted physical dominance, seizing control by the end of the opening quarter behind a three-pointer from Sterling Brown that made it 29-20. By halftime, the hosts commanded a 50-34 advantage, fueled by a stark 10-1 discrepancy in offensive rebounds. Le Figaro reported that ASVEL finished the match with a meager 23 total rebounds compared to 46 for Kaunas, alongside 11 turnovers.
Carsen Edwards paced the victors with 16 points, while Jonas Valanciunas contributed 15 points and eight rebounds, and Azuolas Tubelis added 14 points and four rebounds. Despite resistance from Hugo Besson with 13 points, Jae Crowder with 12, and efforts from Patty Mills, the Villeurbanne club suffered its fifth defeat of the European season. Former Paris guard Maodo Lo also contributed nine points and six assists in just over two minutes of action for Kaunas, punishing his former team’s defensive lapses as the home side shot an impressive 18 of 37 from beyond the arc.
Not our night.Our next four Euroleague games will be at home, with you. pic.twitter.com/qvb0sv7lzc
TJ Shorts Returns to Haunt Paris Basketball
In the French capital, former star guard of the capital TJ Shorts returned to haunt his old club, delivering a masterclass for Valencia with 25 points and eight assists. The 29-year-old guard set the tone immediately with 10 points and three assists in the first quarter, later sparking a decisive visiting surge right after halftime. Paris, playing without the injured Nadir Hifi, briefly mounted a comeback when Jared Rhoden scored 20 points and Allan Dokossi added 12 points and seven rebounds. The hosts even snatched a momentary 63-62 lead in the third quarter before Valencia unleashed a swift 15-2 run that effectively secured the result, leaving Paris trailing 83-70 heading into the final frame.
Standings Pressure Mounts for French Representatives
Friday’s results deepen a troubling winless drought for French participants in the EuroLeague, with neither club having secured a victory since early October. Paris has now dropped four consecutive matches in the competition, while ASVEL has slid to three straight defeats, leaving both formations languishing near the bottom of the league table. Aurélien Canot noted for Media365 that ASVEL’s domestic success—highlighted by a grueling overtime win against Limoges at Beaublanc six days prior—has failed to translate onto the European stage, where defensive rebounding and perimeter containment continue to plague the Rhodaniens.
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