Paris Basketball made a strong statement in its EuroLeague home opener, defeating Virtus Bologna 90-79 at Adidas Arena on Thursday. Nadir Hifi led the charge with 20 points and 6 assists.
Paris set the tone early, with all 12 players seeing action within the first six minutes and each scoring in the opening 17 minutes. Veteran Amath M’Baye added 12 points, emphasizing the team’s depth and unselfish approach.
Hifi was dominant in bursts, scoring 10 points in the first six minutes and contributing on defense with 4 steals. Paris’ relentless defensive pressure forced a club-record 26 turnovers by Virtus, translating into 36 points off mistakes.
The hosts also dominated the offensive glass, grabbing 20 offensive rebounds to set a new club record, surpassing the 19 collected against Maccabi in December 2024. Their ability to control the boards and convert second-chance opportunities proved decisive.
Virtus managed to stay in touch through a late third-quarter surge, but Paris responded with waves of energy, balancing scoring across the roster. The team’s unique substitution strategy, replacing all five players simultaneously, maintained high intensity and disrupted Virtus’ rhythm.
Paris improves to 2-1 in the EuroLeague, while Virtus falls to 1-2 despite efforts from Marco Morgan, who scored 21 points. The win underscores Paris’ home-court advantage and sends a clear message to opponents about the team’s depth, intensity, and unrelenting pace.
