Name: Shorts, Hayes combine in crunch time! | Motorola Magic Moment of the Night
Channel: Euroleague Basketball

Marcus Bingham's meteoric rise was interrupted this season and his role dwindled by the end of the playoffs, but the promising big man was nonetheless a factor in Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv's march to the BKT EuroCup crown

Tribute to the Champs: Marcus Bingham

[Marcus Bingham](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/marcus-bingham/013506/)'s meteoric rise was interrupted this season and his role dwindled by the end of the playoffs, but the promising big man was nonetheless a factor in Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv's march to the BKT EuroCup crown and is considered a building block for the future. 

Faced with a shortage of frontcourt players in November, Hapoel pried Bingham away from fellow Israeli club Hapoel Holon, with which the 24-year-old was putting up monster numbers. By his second game, Bingham scored [11 points in 16 minutes against Joventut Badalona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/hapoel-overpowers-joventut-95-70/) and he followed that with [12 points in 13 minutes against Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/wolves-bounce-back-to-down-hapoel-104-100/). 

However, he soon had [a bout of pericarditis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/hapoels-marcus-bingham-to-miss-time/), which is the inflammation of the tissue around the heart, and missed the rest of the regular season.

Even when he returned, Bingham played limited minutes in the postseason, but he made the most of every play. Had he featured in enough games to qualify, Bingham would have been the runaway EuroCup leader in blocks on a per-minute basis and ranked eighth in steals with 4.6 and 2.8, respectively, prorated over 40 minutes. He finished the season averaging 4.3 points, 1.8 rebounds, 0.7 steals and 1.1 blocks over 9:34 minutes in nine appearances. 

Bingham saw action in all six of Hapoel's postseason games and used his length and athleticism to be a disruptor at both ends, whether throwing down slams or shutting down the opponents' attack. And now he has a EuroCup crown to show for his efforts.

More Hapoel Tel Aviv News

The midseason addition made the most of every play in his first EuroCup campaign  

Tribute to the Champs: Marcus Bingham  

FC Bayern Munich's Nick Weiler-Babb has been named the recipient of the 2024–25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Best Defender Trophy, recognizing his exceptional defensive performance throughout the season

Nick Weiler-Babb is named the 2024-25 EuroLeague Best Defender

FC Bayern Munich's Nick Weiler-Babb has been named the recipient of the 2024–25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Best Defender Trophy, recognizing his exceptional defensive performance throughout the season. The award, voted on by head coaches from across the EuroLeague, honors the player deemed to have had the greatest impact on the defensive end of the court. Weiler-Babb's relentless energy, versatility, and lockdown perimeter defense have been his calling cards and helped Bayern advance to the postseason for the first time since 2022.

Now in his fifth EuroLeague season - all of which have come with Bayern, Weiler-Babb has built a reputation as a defensive anchor and vocal leader. Throughout the 2024–25 campaign, he consistently drew the toughest assignments, often neutralizing the opposing team's top perimeter threats. His ability to guard multiple positions, combined with elite anticipation and physicality, made him a game-changer for Bayern’s defensive schemes.

Weiler-Babb collected more steals than any other player this season – 52 and counting – for a league-best 1.6 average. He accounted for 22.4% of all of Bayern's steals, while leading all guards in rebounds with 4.2 per night during the regular season.

The Best Defender Trophy is one of several awards that recognize the elite play of the best players in the EuroLeague at the end of the regular season. The first of this season's honorees was Kendrick Nunn of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens as the winner of the Alphonso Ford Top Scorer Trophy. Nadir Hifi of Paris Basketball was chosen as the EuroLeague Rising Star, another award voted upon by the head coaches. The Alexander Gomelskiy Coach of the Year, All-EuroLeague teams and EuroLeague MVP will be revealed in the coming days.

Walter Tavares of Real Madrid finished second behind Weiler-Babb in the voting for the Best Defender Trophy, followed by Alpha Diallo of AS Monaco, Jerian Grant of Panathinaikos and last season's winner Thomas Walkup of Olympiacos, in fifth place. Others who received votes were Joel Bolomboy of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade, Arnas Butkevicius of Zalgiris Kaunas, Alessandro Pajola of Virtus Segafredo Bologna and Andre Roberson of LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne.

Weiler-Babb is the 10th different recipient of the EuroLeague Best Defender trophy and the first Bayern player to win it. Dimitris Diamantidis of Panathinaikos Athens won the award six times (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011). Tavares is a three-time winner, taking home the award in 2019, 2021 and 2023, as is Kyle Hines who claimed the award in 2015 and 2018 with CSKA Moscow and then in 2022 with EA7 Emporio Armani Milan. Bryant Dunston won it with Olympiacos in 2014 and 2015. In addition to Walkup, who won it last season, the other Best Defender honorees include CSKA players Victor Khryapa and Andrei Kirilenko, in 2010 and 2012, respectively; Stephane Lasme in 2013 with Panathinaikos; and Adam Hanga in 2017 with Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz.

The playmaker becomes the first Bayern player to earn this honor

FC Bayern Munich earned a shot at making the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs after grinding out a 97-93 overtime home win over Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade on the back of a sterling team effort

Gordon Herbert proud of Bayern warriors who shook off fatigue 

[FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-bayern-munich/mun/) earned a shot at making the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs after grinding out [a 97-93 overtime home win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/bayern-advances-with-97-93-overtime-win-over-crvena-zvezda/) over [Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/red/?season=2024-25) on the back of a sterling team effort. The rollercoaster kept fans at SAP Garden on the edge of their seats throughout and Bayern prevailed in a strength-sapping contest, which followed a grueling regular season.

Bayern head coach Gordon Herbert heaped praise on his men after they found another gear in overtime and forced Zvezda into submission to earn a showdown with [Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/mad/?season=2024-25), the prize being a best-of-five quarterfinal series against [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/).

 “I give a lot of credit to the players for finding the energy, the will and determination to fight through the fatigue,” Herbert said at the postgame press conference. “We kept our heads up and came out on top in overtime after [Vladimir Lucic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/vladimir-lucic/001288/) hit a couple of big shots.

 “We’ve lived to play another day, it’s a good win and the manner of this victory will help build team spirit as it’s shown the resilience of this group. We now need to fight off the fatigue and then we’ll have a look at what we need to improve on ahead of the Madrid game.”

Vladimir Lucic made an impact at both ends against Zvezda

Having excelled in most departments, Bayern might want to take a look at ball handling as the home team committed 16 turnovers against 20 assists, while shooting 14-of-31 from deep and racking up 38 boards, including 13 on offense. Bayern also collected 8 steals, courtesy of its relentless hustle which helped the German outfit erase a 10-point deficit.

Herbert’s Zvezda counterpart Ioannis Sfairopoulos rued some officiating calls that went against his team, but ultimately Zvezda will look back at poor free throw shooting as the Serbian squad made a modest 14 of 25 shots from the foul line, missing 5 in overtime when the chips were down. The visitors also had a forgettable night from downtown, making just 5 of 22 three-pointers while they also lost the battle of the boards as they racked up 33 rebounds.

Game Videos

Sfairopoulos put on a brave face at the press conference, commending his team for putting up a spirited fight, having missed a chance to snatch an automatic playoff berth after losing six of its last eight regular season games.  

“It was our last game of the season in the EuroLeague and on one hand we are satisfied that we participated in the play-in as we’ve made progress compared to last year,” the Greek tactician said. 

“On the other hand, knowing that we could have done more leaves a bitter taste. It’s been a promising season and one to build on for the future, a learning curve and a base for improvement. Last but not least, I want to thank our fans who’ve supported us all the way.”

Thousands of Zvezda fans thronged the gym on Tuesday night and made their team feel at home at SAP Garden, sending the Serbian side off with a rising ovation despite a tough loss that propelled Bayern into the business end of Europe’s premier club competition. 

Game News

The Canadian head coach hailed his team’s effort in epic win over Crvena Zvezda 

FC Bayern Munich v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2025-04-15T18:30:00.000Z)

FC Bayern Munich lived to fight another day after digging deep into its resources for a 97-93 overtime home win against Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade in the Play-In Showdown, booking a clash with 11-time Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champs Real Madrid on Friday

Sheer grit saw Bayern across the finish line against Crvena Zvezda 

[FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-bayern-munich/mun/) lived to fight another day after digging deep into its resources for [a 97-93 overtime home](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/bayern-advances-with-97-93-overtime-win-over-crvena-zvezda/) win against [Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/red/?season=2024-25) in the Play-In Showdown, booking a clash with 11-time Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champs [Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/mad/?season=2024-25) on Friday. The winner of that contest will advance into the playoffs, with the prize being a best-of-five quarterfinal series against [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/), which topped the [regular season standings](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/standings/).

Bayern ultimately came out on top against battling Zvezda thanks to iron-willed determination in the face of adversity, having conceded a last-gasp sucker punch at the end of regular time. A deft Zvezda sideout left [Filip Petrusev](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/filip-petrusev/011194/) unmarked in the paint 1.6 seconds before the fourth quarter buzzer to level the score, 84-84, forcing overtime in which Bayern guard [Nick Weiler-Babb](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nick-weiler-babb/010391/) produced a moment of game-winning magic.

Off balance and facing his own baseline, Weiler-Babb unleashed a full-court overhead pass that found [Devin Booker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/devin-booker/007056/) alone as a ghost at the other end to slam-dunk and gave Bayern a decisive 94-89 lead.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/nickbabb12?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nickbabb12</a> after pulling an IMPOSSIBLE dime! 👀<br><br>Assist of the year?! 🤯 <a href="https://t.co/Lg88cTPuyA">pic.twitter.com/Lg88cTPuyA</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1912259722469589005?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

It was a fitting climax to an absorbing contest in which the lead kept changing hands throughout, with both sides rallying from double-digit deficits before Bayern showed it had more in the tank down the stretch.

Booker, who racked up a team-high 21 points and 5 boards, acknowledged it took every ounce of energy to force Zvezda into submission.  

“We never gave up as this team always had a lot of grit and a lot of fight and tenacity,” the big man said. “We let a couple of games slip before but not tonight. Every time we pick up on the defensive end, it translates all over our game as our offense comes no matter what. We fed off the energy from the crowd tonight and we came away with the victory.”

Weiler-Babb elaborated that conceding an easy basket at the end of regulation had left Bayern with the challenging task of shaking off the disappointment in overtime, when captain [Vladimir Lucic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/vladimir-lucic/001288/) gave the home team a perfect start with a couple of successive three-pointers.

“It was a hard-fought game, lots of ups and downs as both teams made runs and also struggled in certain periods,” the versatile guard said after amassing 15 points, 6 boards and as many assists.

“We stuck together and came out on top after the letdown at the end of the fourth quarter. We didn’t end the regular season the right way and knowing that we had to win today, we locked in and bounced back in the second half.”

All 11 of Ivan Kharchenkov's points against Zvezda

The effort also drew praise from head coach Gordon Herbert, as Bayern produced a flawless third quarter which turned a 39-46 halftime deficit into a 71-61 lead at the end of the third quarter, Herbert, who took charge at Bayern last summer after a glorious three-year spell with the German national team, also singled out 18-year old prospect [Ivan Kharchenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/ivan-kharchenkov/012123/) who sank a career-high 11 points in just over 6 minutes on the court in the first half.

“We had a really good third quarter as our starters came out and played with a lot of energy,” said the 66-year-old Canadian tactician. “We got a lot of defensive stops in the third. They had a run, we hung on and congratulations to our players. We were up 10 and then down by 4, but we stayed with it and never gave up. It was our fifth game in 10 days, we needed to rotate and Ivan gave us good minutes in the first half.”

The German team prevailed in a titanic clash decided by a moment of genius from Nick Weiler-Babb

TJ Shorts led from the front as Paris Basketball defeated Real Madrid on the road to make the EuroLeague Playoffs.

TJ Shorts laid the foundation for Paris’s memorable play-in victory at Real Madrid

What a season this has been for [TJ Shorts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tj-shorts/012608/) and [Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/paris-basketball/prs/).

On Tuesday night, in the first game of the play-in, Paris travelled to the Spanish capital to take on 11-time Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champion [Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/mad/). This was going to be the 635th EuroLeague game in Real Madrid’s history and just the 35th for Paris. Experience was certainly in favor of the hosts.

In the end, experience counts for little against a team led by Shorts. Right from the tip, the EuroLeague rookie made sure to inspire and guide his teammates by laying the foundation for [a 73-81 win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/paris-stuns-real-madrid-in-play-in-73-81-to-set-up-playoff-date-with-fenerbahce/).

Shorts drained a three-pointer on the opening offense of the game, then found [Kevarrius Hayes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kevarrius-hayes/010390/) for a slam, and drove to the rim for a layup to give Paris an early 6-7 lead. Seven points for Paris, seven points from the hands of Shorts.

Another couple of connections between Shorts and Hayes in the latter stages of the first quarter showed the freedom that the visitors were playing with. Having posted 7 points and 4 assists in the opening 10 minutes, with Paris leading 22-27, Shorts also appeared with the final play of the first half to give his team a 36-46 advantage at the interval, the first time either team had led by double digits.

Shorts went to work early in the third quarter to stave off any Real Madrid comeback, then he did a bit of scoring and playmaking in the fourth as Paris just about managed to hold off *Los Blancos*.

The 27-year-old was a menace throughout and finished the contest with 23 points, 2 rebounds and 9 assists, while he played a season-high 30:46 minutes – just the second time this season he has gone above 30 minutes.

Shorts stole the show against Madrid in the Play-In Showdown

TJ Shorts stole the show against Madrid in the Play-In Showdown

His simple presence on the floor was a positive factor for Paris, too, as he was a +10 in the plus/minus column, an important factor given the team's eight-point win.

"We've been working very hard,” Shorts told EuroLeague TV afterward. “We had to do it the hard way going through the play-in, but now we stamped our ticket. It's an amazing feeling right now. I'm just so happy for everybody that's a part of Paris Basketball to be able to enjoy this."

By winning in Madrid, Paris has set up a playoff date with [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/) in the 2-7 matchup. Shorts fancies his team’s chances, though.

"The sky is the limit. I've been talking about this all year,” he stated. “We believe we can compete with the best. We went head up with Real Madrid here. We obviously know the history, we know the talent that they have on that roster. We have the utmost confidence in ourselves that we can compete with anybody.

“And now, obviously, we understand we're playing against Fenerbahce. We will lock in on them, but tonight we're gonna enjoy it. And then we'll get ready for the playoffs."

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">LOCKER VIEW <a href="https://t.co/LaUolHNgVj">pic.twitter.com/LaUolHNgVj</a></p>&mdash; Paris Basketball (@ParisBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/ParisBasketball/status/1912265360830804093?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Shorts managed to put on another show in front of one of his closest friends, Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz forward Chima Moneke, who was sat in the first few rows. 

Paris has been the fairy-tale story of the season and after Tuesday night’s game at Real Madrid, it still has a few chapters that need to be written.

The EuroLeague rookie helped guide his team to the playoffs

Real Madrid v Paris Basketball (2025-04-15T19:00:00.000Z)

FC Bayern Munich advanced in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Play-In Showdown and will face Real Madrid for a berth in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs after the German side ground out a dramatic 97-93 overtime home win against Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade. 

Bayern advances with 97-93 overtime win over Crvena Zvezda 

FC Bayern Munich advanced in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Play-In Showdown and will face Real Madrid for a berth in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs after the German side ground out a dramatic 97-93 overtime home win against Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade.

Big man Devin Booker paced Bayern with 21 points and 5 boards; Carsen Edwards netted 17 points and Nick Weiler-Babb racked up 15 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists. Captain Vladimir Lucic added 13 points and Ivan Kharchenkov 11.

At the other end, Filip Petrusev led Zvezda with a monster individual performance garnished by 30 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Nikola Kalinic posted 20 points and 7 rebounds while Nemanja Nedovic chipped in with 13 points for the visitors.

Roared on by droves of Serbian fans at SAP Garden, Zvezda produced a 4-14 run to take a 16-23 lead late in the first quarter as Kalinic and Petrusev poured 17 points between them. However, Bayern closed out the first period with 5 unanswered points to the slash deficit.

Zvezda shot 8 of 10 from inside in the first quarter on the back of good movement of the ball, presenting Kalinic and Petrusev with a barrage of easy points. The tide turned in the second as 18-year-old Kharchenkov popped up as a trump card up Coach Gordon Herbert’s sleeve, sinking a career-high 11 points in just 6:26 minutes on the court as Bayern nosed ahead 31-30 before Zvezda hit back again.

Driven by Nedovic, who netted 9 points in the second period, Zvezda conjured a 5-16 run to take a double-digit lead for the first time in the game, 36-46, before Booker closed the gap on the halftime buzzer with a deep three-pointer.

Zvezda had dished out 14 assists in a smooth first-half effort while Bayern stayed in touch thanks to 8 offensive boards, setting the stage for a pulsating second half which duly produced an array of thrills and spills akin to a knockout game.

The visitors still had the upper hand and a 49-55 advantage early in the third quarter but Bayern roared back with a 22-6 streak which turned the matchup on its head and gave the hosts a 71-61 lead ahead of the final 10 minutes, with Booker doing damage from all over.

Bayern appeared to be cruising with a 74-63 lead early in the fourth but Zvezda stormed back with a 3-17 run to turn the tide and retake the initiative, 77-80, before a dramatic finish to regulation saw Petrusev force overtime with a last-gasp effort 1.6 seconds before the buzzer.

Lucic then stepped up with a pair of successive threes to give Bayern a 90-84 lead in overtime and Weiler-Babb effectively sealed the contest with a most audacious assist, as he hurled the ball over his head to the other end of the court where Booker was at hand for an easy dunk.

Zvezda’s desperate effort to force a second overtime period fell short as the visiting team missed 5 free throws in the home straight, with its offense hitting a wall when the chips were down.

The home team prevailed in a rip-roaring rollercoaster after the lead kept changing hands throughout 

Shorts, Hayes combine in crunch time! | Motorola Magic Moment of the Night 

FC Bayern Munch center Devin Booker spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team beat Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade in the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Play-In Showdown.   

Devin Booker: 'We were not gonna let this game slip'

FC Bayern Munich-Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade | Play-In Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Paris Basketball guard TJ Shorts spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team beat Real Madrid in the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Play-In Showdown.   

TJ Shorts: 'It's an amazing feeling right now'

Real Madrid-Paris Basketball | Play-In Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Carsen Edwards beats Giedraitis on the dribble and scores with a superb layup

Edwards weaved his way for a layup! Motorola Magic Moment

Nadir Hifi dances with Sergio Llull and hits a huge three-pointer over the legendary Real Madrid guard

Hifi with another crazy three! Motorola Magic Moment

Paris Basketball upset Real Madrid 73-81 on Tuesday in the Play-In Showdown to clinch seventh place and set up a playoff showdown with Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul. Real's playoff hopes have not ended as Los Blancos will host FC Bayern Munich on Friday in a do-or-die showdown, which will see the winner take on Olympiacos Piraeus in the quarterfinals. Paris never trailed after the first quarter and led by as many as 13. Although Real mounted a late charge, the EuroLeague debutants held on to continue their historic campaign.

TJ Shorts paced the Parisians with 23 points and 9 assists, freshly crowned EuroLeague Rising Star Award winner Nadir Hifi added 15 points, Tyson Ward tallied 11 points and 7 rebounds and Kevarrius Hayes added 10 and 6 for the winners. Facundo Campazzo led Real with 17 points and 5 assists and Gabriel Deck contributed 10 points and 8 rebounds in defeat.

TJ Shorts showed that he is ready for the Play-In Showdown with a three-pointer on the first offensive set of the game to give Paris an early 0-3 advantage. The elusive guard continued his fine start by finding Kevarrius Hayes for a slam at 3-5 before scoring a layup at 6-7. Walter Tavares scored four points in a row to put Madrid up by three, 10-7, then a Facundo Campazzo triple gave the hosts’ biggest lead of the first half at 13-8. Nadir Hifi lit the flame for the fightback, then the Shorts-Hayes combination worked to perfection on a couple more dunks as Paris went up 19-25. Andres Feliz’s free throw was the last score of the quarter, making it 22-27 after 10 minutes.

A slow start to the second quarter was ended by Dzanan Musa scoring inside on the fast break, but a long two by Sebastian Herrera and a mid-range jumper by Shorts showed that Paris was not about to collapse, 24-31. Campazzo did his best to get Madrid going with a layup and a triple, then Usman Garuba’s layup resulted in a huge roar from the home supporters and a timeout by Paris coach Tiago Splitter. That pause did wonders for the visitors, who had Hifi score 8 points in a flurry, including back-to-back threes that put Paris up by 33-41. Garuba’s triple looked like it would inspire a reaction, but Ward hit back with a corner three before Shorts ended the half by going at Garuba and scoring a layup to make it 36-46 at the interval – the first double-digit lead of the game.

Paris continued to heap the pain on Madrid in the early stages of the third frame, with Shorts scoring on back-to-back offensive sets – giving the visitors a new game-high 11-point lead, 39-50 – before finding Hayes for a score inside, 41-52. Tyson Ward had a perfect trip to the line as Paris opened a new game-high 13-point lead, 41-54, but Alberto Abalde, Gaby Deck and Campazzo forced the visitors into a timeout at 49-55. Malcolm and Shorts restored a double-digit advantage, 49-61, but Andres Feliz and Serge Ibaka provided a boost to the hosts, who trailed 58-62 after 30 minutes following scores by Deck and Mario Hezonja.

It looked like a memorable Real Madrid comeback was on, with Feliz and Sergio Llull combining to make it a one-point ballgame at 61-62. Ibaka responded to Shorts’s mid-range jumper, 63-64, then Ward and Campazzo went back and forth as it was 67-68 entering the final minutes. However, a Mikael Jantunen three took the air out of the arena, 67-71, as did a sidestep Hifi triple over Llull, 68-74. The final dagger came with another triple courtesy of Jantunen, which made it 71-79, before Paris eventually secured a famous 73-81 win to set up a playoff date with Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul.

The French side continues to write a fairy-tale story in its debut EuroLeague season

Paris stuns Real Madrid in play-in, 73-81, to set up playoff date with Fenerbahce

They’ve done it again – TJ Shorts has found Kevarrius Hayes for another dunk

Hayes alley-oop dunk off another Shorts assist! Motorola Magic Moment

TJ Shorts drives towards the basket and dishes to Kevarrius Hayes, who dunks with force

The Shorts-Hayes combo works again! Motorola Magic Moment

After a Facundo Campazzo steal, he led the Real Madrid offense and found the trailing Walter Tavares, who slammed home the dunk

Tavares dunks in transition! Motorola Magic Moment

Filip Petrusev rocks the rim with a two-hander after a lovely assist from Luka Mitrovic