JL Bourg-en-Bresse has become the seventh French club to claim a European basketball trophy, adding their name to the prestigious list after a thrilling EuroCup final. This marks their first major title, a triumphant achievement following their second-place finish in the same competition in 2024.
The decisive moment came in the final second, a mere 1.1 seconds, as Adam Mokoka drove to the basket for the game-winning shot. Mokoka, a French international, was instrumental with 17 points and 10 rebounds, and his teammate Kevin Kokila was equally brilliant, scoring 18 points and achieving an evaluation of 27. They demonstrated remarkable resilience against a determined Turkish opponent seeking redemption from their previous encounter.
The victory now presents JL Bourg with a significant decision regarding their participation in the upcoming EuroLeague season. The prospect of 38 games, a minimum salary cap of 4.6 million euros, a home arena (Ekinox) with a 3,500-seat capacity that doesn’t meet EuroLeague standards, and a town population of just over 40,000 residents raises questions about the club’s readiness for such a commitment.
A quarter for JL, another for Besiktas
The game began with Ricardo Lindo scoring the opening points for JL Bourg on two free throws within seconds of play. Kevin Kokila was highly active, despite accumulating two fouls early on. Although the Turkish team played with intensity, JL Bourg maintained the lead throughout the initial stages, with scores like 11-6, 15-9, and a three-pointer from Darius McGhee coupled with a Vincent Mitchell offensive rebound extending their advantage to 23-13. They finished the first quarter with a solid 8-point lead at 25-17. The only concern was Besiktas’s five offensive rebounds.
However, with the presence of Croatian giant Ante Zizic (2.10m), who had the highest evaluation at halftime with 14, Besiktas began to regain momentum, closing the gap to 27-24. Their defense allowed them to equalize the score at 29-29 in the 15th minute. Although JL Bourg managed to pull ahead slightly to 35-29, Tajuan Agee incurred his fourth foul at an inopportune time, and Vincent Mitchell picked up his third.
Besiktas’s tight defense disrupted JL Bourg’s offensive flow, leading to a scoring drought for the French team. The maximum deficit they faced (35-40) was reduced to -2 (38-40) just before halftime.
Mokoka and Kokila step up
Ante Zizic continued to trouble Bourg’s defense, scoring six unanswered points to give his team a significant advantage at 38-46. The combined efforts of Mokoka and Kokila helped Bourg halt the deficit and even tie the game at 48-48. The match was intense and hard-fought, far from a graceful display of basketball. Tajuan Agee’s return to the court was marked by a three-pointer, giving JL Bourg a lead at the end of the third period, 55-52.
JL Bourg extended their lead to 63-56, largely thanks to an outstanding performance from Kevin Kokila, who had 16 points and an evaluation of 24 at that point. Their French-Angolan pivot was in exceptional form.
Adam Mokoka missed an opportunity to seal the victory earlier but still managed to give JL Bourg a 7-point lead at 67-60. This was followed by a series of three-point shots. Will McDowell-White’s three-pointer seemed decisive, making it 71-66 with 1 minute and 41 seconds remaining, prompting the Ekinox crowd to sing the French national anthem. However, Jonah Mathews (who finished with 18 points) equalized the score with just 15 seconds left on the clock.
The rest, as they say, is history.
The boxscore can be found here.
