Bourg Basketball: The Rise to EuroCup Glory

JL Bourg-en-Bresse has secured its first EuroCup title, defeating Besiktas Istanbul 73-71 in Game 2 of the Finals on April 28, 2026. The victory marks a significant achievement for the French club, earning them a promotion to the EuroLeague for the 2024-25 season.

The decisive moment came in the final seconds of the game, with Adam Mokoka driving past his defender to score the winning layup with 1.1 seconds remaining on the clock, according to Euroleague Basketball. The game was tied at 71-71 after Jonah Mathews made a clutch shot to equalize following a missed three-pointer by Anthony Brown.

This marks Bourg’s second appearance in the EuroCup Finals in three seasons. In 2024, they reached the final but were defeated by Paris Basketball, who swept the series 2-0. Paris Basketball’s T.J. Shorts was named the MVP of that series.

Historic Turnaround for Bourg

The 2026 championship represents a remarkable turnaround for Bourg, especially considering the team was almost entirely rebuilt prior to the season. Head coach Frederic Fauthoux noted that only Kevin Kokila remained from the team that competed in the 2024 Finals.

“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,”

Frederic Fauthoux

Kokila, the sole remaining player from the previous Finals run, expressed immense emotion after the victory.

“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…”

Kevin Kokila

The win also makes JL Bourg-en-Bresse the second French side to win the EuroCup, following AS Monaco’s triumph in the 2020-21 season. The 2024 EuroCup Finals were the 22nd season of Euroleague Basketball’s secondary level professional club basketball tournament and the 16th season since it was renamed from the ULEB Cup to the EuroCup.

All-French Final Series

The 2024 EuroCup Finals featured an all-French matchup between Paris Basketball and JL Bourg, marking the first all-French final series in EuroCup history. This was also the second all-French final series in European club basketball tournaments, following the 2017 FIBA Europe Cup Finals where Nanterre 92 defeated Élan Chalon.

Bourg’s victory secures their place in the 2024-25 EuroLeague, though questions remain regarding the club’s financial readiness for the step up in competition, as noted in earlier reports. The team completed a dominant 94-78 victory over Türk Telekom Ankara in Game 3 of the semi-finals to reach the finals.

Adam Mokoka was named Finals MVP for his performance throughout the series, culminating in the game-winning basket in Game 2. His contribution proved crucial in securing the championship for Bourg.