FC Bayern Munich claimed a crucial 86–82 road win over Paris Basketball in Round 9 of the 2025–26 EuroLeague season, powered by Xavier Rathan-Mayes’ late-game heroics that sealed the outcome in the French capital.
The Canadian guard, who had struggled with consistency in recent weeks, rediscovered his shooting touch at the right moment. After managing just four points through three quarters, Rathan-Mayes erupted in the fourth, knocking down three consecutive triples to swing the momentum back in Bayern’s favor. He finished with 16 points on 5-for-9 from deep.
Bayern improved to 5–4, while Paris slipped to 4–5. Head coach Gordon Herbert’s team controlled the first half behind solid rebounding and execution, holding Paris to 42 points and taking a 53–42 lead into halftime.
Paris answered strongly after the break with a 12–1 run, fueled by Justin Robinson and Nadir Hifi. The hosts’ defense tightened, forcing seven turnovers and limiting Bayern to 11 third-quarter points. That surge put the home side ahead 68–64 entering the final frame.
Robinson, who tallied 22 points, tied the game midway through the fourth quarter before Rathan-Mayes took over. His three straight triples pushed Bayern ahead 81–74 with under two minutes remaining, changing the tone of the contest.
With both Spencer Dinwiddie and Kamar Baldwin in foul trouble, Herbert credited Rathan-Mayes for stepping up.
Paris fought back with Sebastian Herrera’s back-to-back threes, cutting the gap to 84–82. But Dinwiddie responded with an off-balance dagger from beyond the arc, then grabbed a key defensive rebound on the next possession before feeding Vladimir Lucic for a fast-break dunk to close the game.
Lucic added 12 points, while Dinwiddie and Andreas Obst each contributed the same tally. Wenyen Gabriel recorded 12 points and five rebounds, providing energy in the paint. Bayern shot 44.4% from three-point range and won the rebounding battle 42–40.
Bayern will now prepare for a home clash with FC Barcelona to start the double-round week before embarking on a seven-game road trip. Paris, meanwhile, looks to regroup ahead of hosting Panathinaikos next Tuesday.
