A True Shootout in Paris: ASVEL Survives Late Drama as Hifi Misses Game-Winner After Historic Night!

Both teams entered the Round 4 clash with identical 1-2 records, but from the opening tip, it was clear this would be a high-tempo showdown. Paris had every reason to be the happier side in the early stages, as ASVEL completely lost control of the ball, committing an astonishing 13 turnovers in the first 20 minutes—including nine in the opening quarter alone.

The hosts capitalized on those miscues, holding the Villeurbanne outfit to just 14 points in the first half, yet somehow went into halftime trailing by three. The reason was Patty Mills. The veteran Australian found his stroke and sparked ASVEL's resurgence, with vital support from Hugo Besson and Jae Crowder. The visitors hit their stride from beyond the arc and completely erased Paris' lead.

On the other side, Nadir Hifi predictably stepped up as the focal point for the hosts. With 16 points in the first half, he was the main reason Paris prevented ASVEL from pulling away.

What followed in the third quarter was a basketball purist's dream—an all-out shootout. Baskets traded blow for blow, scoring run answered by scoring run, with neither side showing any intention of slowing down. Paris shot the lights out, spearheaded by an explosive Tyson Etienne, who racked up 15 points in that quarter alone.

ASVEL added another four turnovers during that stretch as Hifi kept piling on the points, while Bot Gash chipped in for the visitors. Still, the hosts managed to edge ahead heading into the final frame. A 30-foot buzzer-beating triple from Ayayi put Paris up 77-74 after three quarters.

The final quarter offered no respite. Paris started stronger, quickly building a five-point cushion, but ASVEL answered immediately with five unanswered points to level the score, only for Paris to respond with another 5-0 burst.

Tremont Waters then took center stage. The Puerto Rican guard caught fire in the first five minutes of the fourth quarter, dropping eight points—including two deep three-pointers—to keep Paris from pulling away.

Hifi kept delivering for the hosts, while Etienne pushed his tally to 27 points. With three and a half minutes remaining, Paris led 93-91 and seemed primed to close it out. Etienne followed up with a clutch basket to make it 95-91, before Crowder missed a chance to pull ASVEL closer, splitting a pair of free throws.

Paris, however, failed to capitalize on the ensuing possession. Terry Tarpey committed an offensive foul, and Besson converted off a Crowder assist to make it 95-93. ASVEL then earned two trips to the charity stripe after Etienne fouled Mills. The experienced Australian calmly sank both free throws to tie the game at 95-95 entering the final two minutes.

The drama had only just begun.

Nate Sestina made a costly mistake as the shot clock ran down, fouling Hifi and sending him to the line. Hifi made just one of two, but that single point marked the first time in his EuroLeague career that he reached the 30-point milestone.

Waters then finished a layup to reach ten points in the quarter, handing ASVEL the lead, before Bolomboy converted one of two free throws. That set up Paris with one final possession for the win, and the ball, naturally, ended up in Hifi's hands.

Paris' talisman had the shot to win it at the buzzer, but it rimmed out. ASVEL held on for a heart-stopping 98-96 victory in Paris, capping off one of the most thrilling contests in the EuroLeague so far this season.