Defense, rebounding led Bourg to the road win
Bourg plays 'tough' to stay perfect, hold off Panionios 56-66



It was not pretty but Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse preserved its unbeaten status in Group B with a 56-66 win over Panionios Athens 56-66. The win saw Bourg improve to 3-0 on Wednesday night in Glyfada.
Bourg was in command during the first three quarters thanks to its defense, which through 30 minutes held the hosts to 38.4% two-point and 23.5% three-point shooting. Bourg also had a double-digit rebounding advantage through the first 30 minutes (36-26), which all led to the visitors building a 21-point margin that proved too big for the hosts to overcome.
“We know, to make a stop on defense, you have to get a rebound, that’s the most important, especially against a talented offensive team like this,” said Bourg center Kevin Kokila, who pulled down 11 boards in the win. “I did a good job, my teammates did good job, too. That is why we conceded only 56 points, that is very good.”
Kokila also scored 9 points. Darius McGhee paced Bourg, scoring 11 of his 17 points in the first half, and Vincent Mitchell netted 10 for Bourg, which did enough offensively, but displayed what its physicality, athleticism and size can do to opposing offenses.
“Our physicality will lead us to the top”, a confident Kokila said during his post-game interview. “We are an ambitious team and we know to beat good teams you have to be tough, especially on the road. If we continue like this, we will be good.”
Bourg coach Frederic Fauthoux did not dare to be as confident, but was certainly satisfied.
“We know Panionios plays very well offensively. We had big goals for tonight, and to keep a team like this to 56 points it’s a good performance”, Fauthoux said during his post game interview.
Panionios needed more than 3 minutes in each of the first three quarters to score its first field goal. While that was not a deciding factor why Bourg led at halftime, the hosts’ scoring drought between the second and third quarter was what paved Bourg’s way to this victory.
Both offenses struggled in the first half, but Panionios built a lead with McGhee, Both Gach and Ricardo Lindo in main roles. Then, in the final 2 minutes of the first half, Lindo and Kokila each delivered a big block on the defensive end, only for McGhee to follow each one with a three-pointer on the offensive end, and give Bourg a 25-34 halftime lead.
Then the hosts had a 4-minute scoring drought to open the third quarter. Meanwhile Lindo and Adam Mokoka each had a big dunk, and Mokoka added a three-pointer to open a 25-42 margin.
In addition to the 0-6 run in the final 2 minutes of the second quarter, that was a 0-13 spurt that put Bourg in complete control.
“In the first half we allowed Bourg second chances, which they converted, and to strike on fast break, where they are really good”, Panionios head coach Luka Pavicevic analyzed after the loss. “And [they] built a lead, and a game where they could take this important win for them.”
The margin was as big as 29-50 in the third quarter. Panionios showed life in the fourth quarter, and cut it down to 5 points with just under 4 minutes to go, but never closer than that.
The loss is second in a row for Panionios, which dropped to 1-2 record. Giorgios Tsalmpouris had 13 points and Nate Watson scored 10 in the loss.