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By Simon Jatsch / @sJacas

Let me introduce this post by clarifying that I don’t care whether or not you like the EuroChallenge.

Now that that’s settled, here are my random notes on Friday’s semifinal between Nanterre and Frankfurt.

No shortage of quality is to be expected when the 2nd placed Pro A team faces the 6th placed BBL team¹. They’re also two of the more enjoyable teams in European basketball this season.

Nanterre are a talented, gritty, experienced, undersized — Frankfurt a talented, gritty, inexperienced, oversized bunch.

Nanterre have Mam Jaiteh and Joseph Gomis on separate ends of the spectrum and a group of quality players in their prime in the middle. Most undersized teams have this low point of gravity/under the rim strength to them; grown man basketball, think Alba Berlin. Nanterre are a little different. They have shooting everywhere and they’re those wiry, quick-on-their-feet, active athletes.

Frankfurt will finish their EuroChallenge season today as the 4th youngest team in the competition². They’re the youngest team in the BBL. Everyone wants young talent to play and succeed, but the reality is that you don’t usually win with kids. Less than 30 percent of teams from Top15 European leagues who are at least two years younger than league average have winning records. Frankfurt are playoff-bound for the 2nd season in a row.

Friday’s semifinal was a tie game going into the final minute before Weems’ three pointer ultimately pushed the score into Nanterre’s favour.

Quick Notes: Nanterre

Jamal Shuler has been a favourite player of mine for a while. Tremendous shooter, capable secondary pick and roll ballhandler, moves the ball, plays hard on both ends of the floor, good character guy, playing the best basketball of his career. One of those guys who actually jump-contest passes (see clip), thereby causing the ballhandler to hesitate and such. Values ball movement, always delivers those quick, underrated passes. He’s lean and I’ve seen him knocked off balance as a defender on dribble drives and on cuts. Armand did take advantage of that. Strength matters in this increasingly athletic environment of European basketball.