Its head coach will hear echoes from Istanbul when Besiktas visits Bourg for decisive Game 3.
Even without 15,000 Besiktas fans, Alimpijevic relishes do-or-die Game 3
Article
3 Mins read
Rare is the team in any sport, anywhere, that can quintuple its average attendance with the snap of a finger.
That, however, is what Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul on Friday did by moving its BKT EuroCup Semifinals home game from 3,200-seat Akatlar Arena to Sinan Erdem Sports Hall, where the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four was held in 2012 and 2017.
Like that, 15,200 fans sold out the place, and to say they helped even the best-of-three series 1-1 by pushing Besiktas to a 82-71 victory over visiting Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse is an understatement.
Besiktas football fans were once recorded cheering at 132 decibels, roughly the same noise level as a military jet taking off. Even if you cut that in half or more – but then put a roof over it – you can imagine the din inside Sinan Erdem on Friday.
Bourg felt the crowd pressure
The Bourg players were not only challenged to communicate with each other and their bench as normal, but had trouble hearing the referees whistles. It made running an offense difficult. Despite leading by 7 points just at halftime, the game quickly got away from the visitors.
"It was a great atmosphere to play a basketball game," Bourg coach Frederic Fauthoux said afterward, but "for some [of our] guys it was the first time to be in this situation."
Normally steady point guard Hugo Benitez, hounded by defenders as well as the ear-splitting Besiktas crowd, ended up committing 6 of his team's 17 turnovers.
"I am disappointed, first, because we didn't play our basketball," Fauthoux added. "We knew that Besiktas would play very tough defense, and they did it. And we didn't find the solution, because we just turned over the ball too much. Then we allowed them too many offensive rebounds. To win the big games, those things are basic: control the ball and control the rebound. And we didn't do those things."
Fans were Besiktas's sixth man
Fauthoux's counterpart, Dusan Alimpijevic, emphasized the role that Besiktas fans played in the result, and he hopes they will get that chance again.
"Before anything else, I have to say that this has been one of the best and craziest atmospheres I have felt in my life," Alimpijevic said.
"Look at this atmosphere. I believe that no one in EuroCup this year has something like this. They took us and they led us to this victory...I will do everything to come back to come back one more time to Sinan Erdem for the finals."
To make that happen, Besiktas has to win next Wednesday at Ekinox arena, where Bourg is 10-1 in the EuroCup this season and has beaten both EuroLeague Playoffs team AS Monaco and EuroCup finalist-in-waiting Paris Basketball.
Alimpijevic won't have 15,200 foundation-shaking fans at his back in Game 3, but considering his 6-2 record in EuroCup elimination games in recent years – all except one of those on the road – neither is he intimidated by the challenge.
"This is exactly what we wanted, to push this series – if we couldn't win the first game – to do-or-die," Alimpijevic said. "I believe that [Bourg] was a little more comfortable in the first game because it wasn't do-or-die. Now it is. And I like these do-or-die games."
Game Videos
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Terry's steal and dunk! Magic Moment
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Kokila throws it down! Magic Moment of the Night
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Kokila throws it down! Magic Moment
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Ayayi's behind-the-back pass! Magic Moment
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Fine dunk by Konan! Magic Moment
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Great alley-oop by Terry! Magic Moment
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Sleva's steal and dunk! Magic Moment
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Martin to Terry alley-oop! Magic Moment
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What an alley-oop from Terry! Magic Moment
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Big dunk from Terry! Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/5wCtW3OXwCk/maxresdefault.jpg]()
7-bet Lietkabelis Panevezys-Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse| Round 5 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
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Pansa rejects Maldunas! Magic Moment
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Terry throws down on Ulm! Magic Moment
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Terry and Allman at it again! Magic Moment
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Terry rocks the rim again! Magic Moment
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Terry rocks the rim! Magic Moment
- 00:15
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Allman dunks with some aplomb! Magic Moment
- 00:13
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Pansa buries it! Magic Moment
- 03:40
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Magic Moment: What a pass by Benitez!
- 00:23
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Magic Moment: Pansa swats Mokoka!
- 03:51
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/10/01/zP6r23Kt6vWtm13UVtFAtUGFlUOoi6Io-1727806806488.jpg]()
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- 00:09
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/a4538db7-1b34-4de3-83e3-9fb6fb8581c7.jpg?crop=1793%3A1009%3Anowe%3A30%3A17]()
Magic Moment: Emanuel Terry with another big dunk!
- 00:14
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Magic Moment: Emanuel Terry with a huge dunk!
- 03:28
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/09/26/aualxxEtwwkLdZgslfit6su5gPPYnwKV-1727370585445.jpg]()
Besiktas Fibabanka Istanbul-Buducnost VOLI Podgorica | Round 1 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 00:10
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Magic Moment: Emanuel Terry hammers it home!
- 03:49
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/50d93c6e-8ea3-45b4-a783-b586900ac254.jpg]()
Veolia Towers Hamburg-Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse | Round 1 Highlights | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup
- 03:45
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/04/12/6PB7eiiO7dOluznt5nhPfiSkEvHL3tM7-1712952065955.jpg]()
Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse-Paris Basketball | Finals Game 2 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 00:17
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/b81fc9a0-1c8c-4413-ac7b-2708f116c0ed.jpg?crop=1500%3A844%3Anowe%3A494%3A390]()
Magic Moment: Morgan blasts off!
- 00:21
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Magic Moment: Bourg's Benitez beats the buzzer!
- 00:18
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Magic Moment: Kokila with the swat!
- 03:36
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/04/09/5fAiwflOoamhHQO9FxWTAoSX4YDaVTTj-1712696388703.jpg]()
Paris Basketball-Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse | Finals Game 1 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 00:29
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Magic Moment of the Night: Risacher dunks in traffic!
- 00:10
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Magic Moment: Kokila's big block!
- 03:50
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/04/03/Gu0ttstNnkZflO73xDGIishOn1R5aeCb-1712175047744.jpg]()
Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse-Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul | Semifinals Game 3 Highlights | 2023-24 BKT EuroCup
- 00:11
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/d3632d1a-8234-4045-90a5-6f46285e0274.jpg?crop=2400%3A1350%3Anowe%3A93%3A123]()
Magic Moment: Courby sends the home fans wild!
- 00:08
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Magic Moment: Mike pins Needham's layup attempt!
- 00:09
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Konan with the put-back dunk - and one!
- 00:08
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/4e05c677-c3c2-4815-927c-41c7000491b8.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A135%3A146]()
Magic Moment: Risacher with the dunk!
