Aris (7-8) is hoping to stay strong in the playoff chase against Group B leader Bourg (12-3), with both teams on a hot streak after winning four of the last five.
Axel Julien, Bourg: 'We have to win this game'
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Regular Season
Round 16 of 18
Group B
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Aris’s league-best defense wasn’t enough when the teams last met, as Bourg squeezed out a 72-65 home victory. The versatile Zaccharie Risacher top scored with 16 points and his confidence is high after netting 22 in last week’s win over Lietkabelis. Aris will look for more heroics from Roberto Gallinat, who scored last week’s buzzer-beating game-winner against Buducnost.
Ioannis Kastritis, Aris head coach
“It’s a very difficult game against Bourg, a team which is first in the standings of our group and second in France. We have to increase our good moments in the game and it will not be easy, because of the opponent’s high quality and our fatigue that comes from the last few games. Our players fight with pride in every game. We want to be competitive and fight for a very big win.”
Vassilis Toliopoulos, Aris guard
“We are facing the top team of our group and that says it all about the difficulty of the game. We had two big wins – against Buducnost [VOLI Podgorica] and AEK [Athens] – but we leave those games in the past as we await another big game against Bourg. It’s a very important game. If we win, we will make a big step towards qualifying for the playoffs. We always play for the win and we want to be competitive, hoping that fatigue and some absences won’t affect our game.”
Frederic Fauthoux, Bourg head coach
"They like to work, keep the ball in their hands, shoot in the last moments [of the shot clock]. It's a particular style of play and there are real differences between us, so we have to deal with that and play our game."
Axel Julien, Bourg guard
"Thessaloniki is a complicated trip – it has an arena with a noisy atmosphere. We will have to be serious; we have to win this game because they are also looking for victories to qualify for the playoffs. We will have to stay serious to seek the victory."