The old adage goes, it’s not how you start the game but how you finish it. David Michineau and Keith Hornsby capitalized on their chance to shine in the fourth quarter and carried Boulogne Metropolitans 92 to a victory over Dolomiti Energia Trento.
Michineau scored 10 of his 11 points in the fourth quarter and Hornsby tallied all 10 of his points in the final frame to carry the French team to a 93-80 home win. Michineau and Hornsby were two of six Metropolitans players who scored in double figures. But they combined for 20 of the team’s 29 points in the fourth quarter.
With Trento sticking close at 66-61, Michineau hit a jumper and both he and Hornsby drained three-pointers. Michineau added a three-point play and then assisted on a Hornsy score for an 81-71 advantage with 4 minutes to play.
Trento would not go away and got within 81-75 with 2 minutes remaining. Hornsby hit a jumper before Michineau added his final basket and Hornsby finished the game with a three-pointer.
“This team has a lot of offensive options – a lot of great players. Just because I only get one shot in the first half doesn’t mean I can hang my head and clock out of the game. You gotta be ready,” said Hornsby, who was held scoreless in his first EuroCup game this season and then had 8 and 6 points in the second and third games respectively.
“I got in in the fourth quarter and you know the future is unwritten as far as a basketball game goes. You can turn it around quickly. I got some opportunities and then it’s up to you to take advantage and luckily tonight I did, along with the team. It was good.”
Michineau has been up and down thus far this season in the EuroCup. He failed to score in Rounds 1 and 3 - both road losses - and collected 14 points in the team’s Round 2 home win over Slask Wroclaw.
In the win over Slask, Michineau entered the fourth quarter having scored 6 points and he totaled 8 points and 2 assists in the final frame in holding off the Polish team.
Once again, it’s not how you start... it’s how you finish. And Michineau and Hornsby have shown they know how to close out games.