Nadir Hifi returned from injury to score 20 points as Paris Basketball defeated Dubai Basketball 99-93 on the road in EuroLeague Round 8 on Tuesday, October 27, ending a four-game losing streak.
Jared Rhoden also scored 20 points for Paris, which improved to 2-6 in the 2026-27 EuroLeague regular season. Dwayne Bacon led Dubai with 24 points, while Mfiondu Kabengele recorded 22 points and 13 rebounds. Dubai dropped to 5-3.
Hifi had missed the previous two weeks through injury and made his return at Coca-Cola Arena. He delivered when Paris needed him most, scoring crucial points in the closing minutes to help the visitors secure their second win of the EuroLeague season.
Dubai started strongly, building a 25-16 lead after Kabengele finished a coast-to-coast dunk. Paris responded after a timeout, increasing its defensive pressure and forcing turnovers. Rhoden scored the first seven points of a 10-0 run, and Terry Tarpey’s corner three-pointer gave the visitors a 26-25 advantage.
Paris took a 54-47 lead into halftime after capitalizing on Dubai’s mistakes. The hosts had committed seven turnovers after giving the ball away only once in the opening seven minutes.
Dubai adjusted after the break, with head coach Xavi Pascual pairing Elie Okobo and McKinley Wright to stabilize the offense. The hosts reduced their turnovers and improved their half-court execution, eventually moving ahead 64-61 as Kabengele helped lead the comeback.
Paris answered through Sebastian Herrera, who hit consecutive three-pointers, before Rhoden made a difficult fallaway jumper at the third-quarter buzzer to put the visitors back in front, 73-72.
Herrera finished with 12 points and four three-pointers. His shooting helped Paris maintain its advantage in the fourth quarter, while Leo Cavaliere’s reverse layup extended the lead to 85-79 and forced a Dubai timeout.
Hifi then took over. He opened Paris’s next possession with a three-pointer and later converted two free throws. After Kabengele kept Dubai within reach with a dunk, Hifi hit another three-pointer to give Paris an 93-85 lead in the final minute. He finished 10-for-10 from the free-throw line.
Paris visits Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday, while Dubai hosts Hapoel Tel Aviv on Friday.
