By crushing, in match 1, a Bresse team that completely missed its first half, has Paris Basketball already lost the Eurocup final? The answer is no, obviously. The capital club has only taken the first step. In a final which is played as a best of three matches, there is still one to climb and two possibilities to achieve it.
The first will take place this Friday, April 12 in Ain. If Bourg equalizes, we will still have to play a good game in the new setting of the Adidas Arena which will be filled, like this Tuesday, with 8,000 supporters on fire. Given the show of strength of the Parisians who were up to 27 points ahead in the first round, we do not see how they could lose twice between now and Monday. “We had a great first half, incredible in defense and intensity, and of a high level in attack. In the second, Bourg started to change defense, causing us some problems, and we were less focused. This gives us good indications for the second match,” reacts Finnish coach Thuomas Iisalo.
To reverse the trend, Freddy Fauthoux’s team will have to achieve a major feat by first putting an end to Paris Basketball’s streak of 18 consecutive victories. Remember that the latter has not lost since the end of January. It will also be necessary to inflict on the capital club a ninth and then, in the process, a tenth defeat in 53 matches over the entire season.
To believe that Paris can lose this final, you have to be Bressan. “In this match 1, we had a very bad first half,” regrets Fred Fauthoux. It wasn’t our basketball. We respected Paris too much. We reacted well in the second half, perhaps because they slowed down. It’s obviously more encouraging for us to end on a more positive note. We know that we needed two victories to win the Eurocup, we still have two more to go for. The next meeting will be at our place, in another atmosphere, with another intensity. We no longer have the right to make mistakes and I am convinced that we can get two victories against Paris. »
Bourg knows the recipe
If the former Paris-Levallois coach is so optimistic, it is because his team is one of the few to have already beaten Paris this season. It was December in the championship and Paris had fallen to Ain by two points (83-81). Fauthoux therefore knows the recipe even if his players were unable to duplicate it this Tuesday. “We made a false step, our backs are a bit against the wall,” complains Axel Julien. But as the coach says, we have two games to win if we want the title. We will have to come back on Friday with other intentions. The environment will be different and more conducive for us. So we will try to take advantage of it. »
Without a doubt, it will, in fact, be another match this Friday, certainly closer and indecisive. Author, also, of a remarkable journey until this final, JL Bourg does not want to leave the stage on a fanny. Land of basketball, it has too much pride to let a young, ambitious and insolent club from the distant capital dictate its law to it in two steps, three movements. No, this final is not over and the Parisians know it better than anyone.
“It’s a step for us, a step towards the title,” warns Nadir Hifi. But we already know that there is a very important match on Friday in Bourg that we will have to win to do the job. Because the objective is not to come back here. » Implied, at the Adidas Arena to play the beautiful Monday.
“The first feeling I have is that it’s not over,” continues Mehdy Ngouama. Friday, we know it will be a different match. We will concentrate on this one, to finish this season well in the Eurocup, with victory. It’s a final, we know it will never be easy. »
To achieve this quickly and look at the Euroleague file which awaits it on the desk, Paris Basketball will count in two days in Bresse on its X factor, the one who has just been elected MVP of the Eurocup season: TJ Shorts. Bourg, like others, never found the solution to bother him. “Friday, it will be a big fight,” warns the will-o’-the-wisp leader. They’re not going to give in easily. We have already lost in the Championship, it will be super hard. We will have to forget almost everything about what we did today (Tuesday) at home, try to start from scratch and prepare well for match 2.”