By Nikola Miloradovic / info@eurohoops.net
JL Bourg-en-Bresse made history by winning its first-ever EuroCup title, edging Besiktas in dramatic fashion in Game 2 of the Finals.
Adam Mokoka sealed the trophy with a game-winning basket in the closing seconds and was named Finals MVP, completing a remarkable turnaround for a team that fell just short at the same stage in 2024.
That previous run, however, came with a very different roster. Bourg entered this season almost completely rebuilt, with Kevin Kokila the only remaining player from the team that reached the 2024 Finals — a point head coach Frederic Fauthoux underlined after the game.
“It’s amazing because when we started the season with just one player and 10 new players, we had some dreams. Today we accomplished a lot — not only for this team, but for the club too. It’s incredible, and everyone in this club can be very proud,” Fauthoux said.
Kokila, the lone holdover from that previous campaign, struggled to hold back emotions after the final buzzer.
“It means everything. We started this season with a full new team, we had to build a chemistry. I’m the last one standing from last season, from two years ago, from the final. Going back to the final was a great achievement, and winning it, it means the world to me. This organization deserves this title: the coach, the staff, the president, the office, everybody. We worked our asses off from the beginning until today, with our budget, our fans, with everything. And today we are the f***ing champions, so it means the world, everything to me,” Kokila said.