Buducnost offense leads way to big win over Bourg

Buducnost VOLI Podgorica opened its 7DAYS EuroCup Top 16 campaign with a shooting display for the ages in a historic 108-80 victory over JL Bourg en Bresse at home. Nikola Ivanovic led the way with 17 points and 7 assists for Buducnost, which had lost its final two games in the regular season. Willie Reed had 16 points, Amadeo Della Valle scored 15, Melvin Ejim 14 and Suad Sehovic tallied 11, while Justin Cobbs chipped in 8 points and 10 assists for the Montenegrin side, which set new club records in points, index rating (137) and three-point shooting (68.4%). Bourg, one of the surprises of the regular season, has now lost three of its last four games. Danilo Andjusic was the top scorer with 17 points while new signing Ivan Buva had 16 points and Thomas Scrubb pitched in 10 points in the loss.

Reed opened the scoring for the hosts and Zach Peacock had two scores as Bourg went up 2-6. After Reed followed with two more baskets to put Buducnost ahead, Andjusic converted 3 foul shots and Bourg led 8-11. Buducnost did a better job defensively and Ejim scored 4 points in a 12-2 run over nearly 4 minutes to go ahead 20-13 and led 26-17 after 10 minutes. After Bourg did not hit a three-pointer in the first quarter, Luka Asceric and Pierre Pelos started the second quarter from deep to start a 0-10 run to surge ahead 26-27. Sehovic answered with a triple of his own and added another three-pointer. Ejim scored 4 more points as Buducnost reeled off a 16-4 run to take a 42-31 advantage. Sehovic, Ejim and Danilo Nikolic all made three-pointers for the hosts, who were up 55-41 at the break.

Andjusic started the second half with a score, but Nikolic and Ejim knocked down threes as the gap continued to grow at 65-48. A Della Valle triple made it 72-54. Bourg tried to scramble back into the game with Buva scoring 6 straight points to get it within 72-60. But Nikolic and Della Valle were on target from deep as the cushion hit 80-62. Buducnost went into the final 10 minutes leading 84-66. Buducnost made sure there would be no comeback with a 10-0 run to start the fourth quarter, including a pair of Ivanovic three-pointers for a 94-66 lead before Bourg finally scored with 7 minutes left. Scrubb hit 2 three-pointers as Bourg tried to cut into the difference. The only question remaining though was if Buducnost would break its EuroCup scoring record. Dalle Valle’s three-pointer evened the scoring mark at 106-78 and Petar Popovic’s jumper set a new record.

New leaders for both teams

Both teams had new players playing key roles in their Top 16 openers. Amedeo Della Valle drained 3 three-pointers in scoring 15 points in his first game for Buducnost and Ivan Buva poured in 16 points on 8-of-14 shooting a day after signing with the French side.

Not the debut Bourg was hoping for

Bourg is playing its first season of international basketball and surprised many by finishing the regular season with a 6-4 record to reach the Top 16. But the team’s first-ever Top 16 game did not go as planned with the big loss in Montenegro.

Telling numbers

Buducnost’s long-range bombers made the difference, hitting 13 of 19 three-pointers for 68.4 percent while converting on 70.3% of its two-point attempts as well. Buducnost also took the rebound battle 34-27 and held Bourg to just 31.8% shooting on three-pointers.

Next games

Buducnost’s next game will be in Slovenia when it takes on Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana on Tuesday, January 19. Bourg will return home and host Virtus Segafredo Bologna on January 20.