By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
In control most of the way, Frutti Extra Bursaspor returned to action following the disaster suffered in Turkey with a convincing win, 92-82, versus JL Bourg in Tofas Arena Thursday.
Zach Auguste posted a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double in the rescheduled 7DAYS EuroCup contest. Heavy-hitter Onuralp Bitim set the pace with ten points in the first period and ended up with 19 points to his name. On the opposite end, Hugo Benitez stood out with a team-high 14 points.
Conceding seven of the first ten three-pointers attempted, the team based in Bursa struggled to build up the lead. Improving the defensive effort pushed the advantage to a game-high 13 points early in the last quarter. The deficit proved too much to handle for the undermanned visitors from France.
The delayed game completing Round 14 of the Regular Season lifted the hosts to an even 7-7 in Group A, including a two-game sweep opposite the team guided by Frederic Fauthoux going down to 8-6. Both sides are in the hunt for a berth in the Eighthfinals with four games remaining in the double-legged round-robin schedule.
Last season’s EuroCup finalists, coached by Dusan Alimpijevic, last played on 5 February. Turkey’s BSL was suspended due to the fatal earthquakes affecting the southeast portion of the country and neighboring Syria. Despite a lack of playing form, they kept the lead from late in the first quarter to the end.
With EuroCup taking a scheduled break, Bourg was tasked with shaking the rust as well. The last action dated back to 19 February and the loss to LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne in France’s Leaders Cup final.
7DAYS EuroCup Regular Season standings
| GROUP A | W-L |
| 1. Prometey | 10-4 |
| 2. Joventut Badalona | 9-5 |
| 3. JL Bourg | 8-6 |
| 4. ratiopharm Ulm | 8-6 |
| 5. Umana Reyer Venice | 7-7 |
| 6. Germani Brescia | 7-7 |
| 7. Frutti Extra Bursaspor | 7-7 |
| 8. 7bet-Lietkabelis | 7-7 |
| 9. U-BT Cluj-Napoca | 4-10 |
| 10. Cedevita Olimpija | 3-11 |
| GROUP B | W-L |
| 1. Gran Canaria | 11-3 |
| 2. Turk Telekom | 10-4 |
| 3. Hapoel Vegan Friendly Tel Aviv | 10-4 |
| 4. Paris | 9-5 |
| 5. Promitheas | 9-5 |
| 6. Buducnost VOLI | 8-6 |
| 7. London Lions | 6-8 |
| 8. Veolia Towers Hamburg | 4-10 |
| 9. Dolomiti Energia Trento | 2-12 |
| 10. Slask Wroclaw | 1-13 |
-The top eight teams of each group advance to the next round
Photo Credit: EuroleagueBasketball.net