Paris Basketball continued its strong EuroLeague start with a statement 101–83 victory over Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade at the Belgrade Arena on Friday night, powered by a stellar performance from guard Nadir Hifi.
The 21-year-old Frenchman poured in 21 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, and dished 4 assists, leading a balanced team effort that silenced the usually hostile Belgrade crowd. Paris improved to 4–2, while Partizan fell to 3–3 after missing key playmaker Carlik Jones through injury.
Many had questioned how Paris would cope following the offseason departure of TJ Shorts to Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens, but Hifi has emerged as the new floor general. Against Partizan, he orchestrated the offense with precision, particularly in the decisive second half when Paris pulled away after a tight 48–46 first half.
Sebastian Herrera delivered a career-high 17 points on 5-of-7 shooting from deep, while Yakuba Ouattara added 14 as the French club hit an impressive 17 three-pointers on 56.7% accuracy. Six players scored at least eight points, underscoring Paris’s offensive balance and depth.
Hifi’s late surge sealed the result, as he scored 11 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter to end any hopes of a Partizan comeback.
Partizan’s Duane Washington scored 16 points but faded in the second half under Paris’s defensive pressure. Sterling Brown led all scorers with 25 points, yet his late scoring burst arrived too late to change the outcome. The Serbian team’s lack of backcourt depth was evident, as they continue to struggle without Jones and Shake Milton.
Paris will host Anadolu Efes in Round 7, while Partizan travels to face Hapoel Tel Aviv as both teams look to bounce back in a tightly contested EuroLeague campaign.
