Both Gach stood out for the home side with 22 points
Bourg keeps its EuroCup momentum rolling with narrow win over Panionios
Game Report
3 Mins read
Regular Season
Round 12 of 18
Regular Season
group b
Cosea JL Bourg-en-BresseJLB
8179
Panionios Cosmorama Travel AthensPAN
group b
Overview
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Cosea JL Bourg-en-Bresse held on for an 81-79 home win over Panionios on Tuesday night, moving to 10-2 and retaining first place in Group B after a tense battle at Ekinox Arena.
“We’re in a great run of form and we want to keep it that way, but we'll have to be careful against this Athens team... They have quality and can be dangerous,” pointed out Bourg head coach Frederic Fauthoux before the game.
The matchup unfolded exactly along those lines, with Bourg having to battle until the final moments. The Group B leaders did not fully establish their offense early, as Panionios controlled the paint.
In the second quarter, Bourg’s three-point shooting set the tone, as a 15-0 run allowed the hosts to head into halftime tied at 36-36.
Bourg stayed in control after the break, leaning on timely three-pointers to maintain its edge. Panionios refused to fade, applying constant pressure in the paint as the game stayed tight until the final moments.
Both Gach stood out in the second half for Bourg. The South Sudanese forward finished with 22 points and 6 rebounds.
“It was a tough one tonight,” Gach said after the game. “Obviously, they came out with a lot of energy and made a lot of shots tonight. For us, we didn’t show the best basketball that we normally play. We made it kinda harder, but we ended up getting the win, so I’m happy about that.’’
Another key contributor was Darius McGhee, who set the early rhythm with his first-half performance. The American guard scored 11 points and dished out 7 assists to keep the offense flowing, while also making his presence felt defensively with 3 steals.
Bourg also leaned on its work on the boards. The hosts pulled down 45 rebounds overall, including 15 on the offensive glass, with Kevin Kokila leading the way with 10 rebounds and Tajuan Agee adding 8.
“The most important (thing) tonight, it was a win,” said Coach Fauthoux after the game. ‘‘It was… okay, it wasn’t a good game, but it’s difficult. We played a lot and we won, and that’s the most important.”
Panionios made the trip without head coach Ilias Zouros and star guard Jaylen Hands; the former resigned his post on Saturday and the latter was released. Still, the Greek side stayed in the game until the final moments. Jackson Kreuser led the visitors with 16 points, Matt Lewis added 14, and Nate Watson and Stedmon Lemon each scored 12.
Perimeter shooting, however, proved costly, as Panionios went 7 of 24 from three. Giorgos Tsalmpouris briefly sparked hope with two timely triples, but it wasn’t enough to change the outcome.
In Round 13, Bourg will open the new year on the road against Lietkabelis Panevezys, aiming to extend its lead in Group B, while Panionios hosts Buducnost VOLI Podgorica in search of its second win of the season.
