As the JL Bourg basketball team approaches its second EuroCup final against Besiktas, they are radiating confidence. Despite a recent setback in a domestic league match against Chalon (100-84), player Adam Mokoka conveyed a relaxed mindset in an interview published on the competition’s website.
“We don’t really feel any pressure. The first game of the season against them in Istanbul was months ago. We had a completely different team, and we showed that in the second game at home. Until the semi-finals, we weren’t among the favorites. It was the three Turkish teams [Besiktas, Bahcesehir, and Turk Telekom] against us. So we’re just going there, playing basketball, and showing why we’re here. And definitely no pressure from that side because we’re going to play in their home arena. They are the favorites, so I would say we don’t feel any pressure about it.”
This confidence is undoubtedly bolstered by their remarkable comeback in the semi-final series against Turk Telekom. After a significant loss in the first game, JL Bourg regrouped and delivered a much-improved performance, securing a win in Turkey before closing out the series at home.
“Before Game 1 against Turk Telekom, we had a long period without games, like 10 days, with no games in the French league. So we didn’t really find our rhythm right from the start. And they came out really aggressive, ready to play, hitting every shot. And we didn’t find the answer as quickly as we wanted. And in the first game, as the results showed, it didn’t really show a good performance from our side. But I think it woke us up. We came with a different mentality there [in Game 2], knowing that we could be eliminated, with our backs against the wall. We just showed why we qualified for the semi-finals and what we work on every day. And it showed, especially in Games 2 and 3 of that series.”
