Paris suffered a shocking defeat in the seventh round of the LNB Pro A, losing to Le Portel on their home turf by 90-86.
The team led by Tuomas Ilsalo had a strong start, ending the first quarter with an eight-point lead (20-12). However, during the second quarter, Le Portel mounted a comeback, closing the gap with a 13-2 run (37-34) and staying neck and neck until halftime (45-43).
Le Portel remained in striking distance of Paris throughout the entire third quarter, but they couldn’t manage a turnaround before heading into the final break (68-65). Paris’s downfall began five minutes into the fourth quarter when they failed to score until the last 45 seconds of the match. Le Portel capitalized on this, going on an 8-0 run, taking a nine-point lead, and making the difference insurmountable.
Nadir Hifi was the top scorer for Paris with 23 points, while Edon Maxhuni shone for Le Portel with 19 points.
Paris remains in third place in the standings with a record of five wins and two losses, while Le Portel secured only their second victory of the season, moving to a 2-5 record in the relegation zone.
The club from the French capital is about to face upcoming fixtures in the Cup, where they will play against Lille, followed by a match against Hamburg in the EuroCup, and then they will host Nanterre in the French league.
On the other hand, Le Portel will meet Boulogne-sur-Mer in the Cup, and afterward, they have a showdown with Gravelines.