The bad news fell on Saturday afternoon, in the qualification euphoria. Formalized just a few minutes after The demonstration of force and the victory (114-88) against Dijon During the match 3 of the quarterfinals.
At a press conference, Tiago Splitterthe Paris Basketball coach presented himself with a shared spirit between the joy of being qualified for the last square of the Playoffs of Betclic Élite and the sadness of having to continue the adventure without one of his major players.
Victim of an injury to a calf, the rear Collin Malcolm, a real pillar of the Parisian collective (10.6 pts, 4.4 rebounds and 1.2 pass on average in Betclic Elite), will no longer play the season. A blow for the capital’s club which approaches the final stretch of the French championship of basket.
After getting rid of Dijon in three games, they welcome this Wednesday, June 4 (9 p.m.) at Adidas Arena, Bourg-en-Bresse (5th in the regular season) for the first act of the semi-finals of the French basketball championship. A series, this time, at the best of the five games whose winner will face the duel winner between ASVEL (2nd) and Monaco (3rd).
Leader of the regular season (23 victories, 7 losses), Paris will have the advantage of receiving during the first two games (Wednesday and Friday) before moving to the Ain (from Sunday). Good news when you know how much, the lair of the Porte de la Chapelle has become a breathtaking citadel (2 backhands, 13 victories).
Bourg is well placed to testify since the players of Fred Fauthoux No longer imposed themselves in the capital since March 2022… at the time Paris still played in the dilapidation Halle Carpentier.
If the duels between the two teams have always been fierce, undecided and intense, the last word has often returned to Paris. Since their defeat (83-81) in Bourg on December 16, 2023, the partners of TJ Shorts have chained the victories, in particular Those in the Eurocoupe final in 2024. Or an ongoing series of six successes in all competitions.
A series they will be keen to continue to win – for the twoth time in their history – their sesame for the final and try to win the only national title which still lacks their voracious appetite, that of the champion of France.
