Cholet Basket produced a dominant performance to beat Tofas Bursa 105-86 in Game 2 of the Basketball Champions League Play-Ins, tying the series at 1-1. The French side's improved shooting and key contributions from Jamuni McNeace secured the victory, setting up a decisive third game in Turkey. With their European season on the line, Cholet showed resilience after a loss in the opener.
In a crucial matchup for the Basketball Champions League Season X Play-Ins, Cholet Basket hosted Tofas Bursa for Game 2 on Friday, January 9, 2026, after severe weather delayed the contest from Thursday. Trailing 0-1 in the best-of-three series following Tofas's dominant win in the opener, Cholet delivered what may have been their strongest performance of the season to force a decider.
The game started strongly for the home team, who built a double-digit lead early and maintained control throughout much of the contest. Tofas mounted a brief threat with a 7-0 run late in the third quarter, narrowing the gap to 14 points. However, T.J. Campbell quelled any comeback hopes by sinking a buzzer-beating three-pointer at the end of the period, extending Cholet's advantage to 17 points entering the final frame.
Jamuni McNeace emerged as the standout performer, scoring a career-high 18 points on perfect 8-of-8 field goal shooting. His efficiency highlighted Cholet's offensive surge, particularly in the first half where they shot 66.7% from two-point range and 46.7% from three-point range— a stark improvement from their 38.2% and 32.4% marks in Game 1. Ten Cholet players contributed points, with seven reaching double figures, while Tofas appeared a step slow, led by Furkan Korkmaz's 15 points in just 18 minutes.
The win keeps Cholet's European hopes alive, with Game 3 scheduled for Wednesday, January 14, in Turkey. The victor advances to the Round of 16 Group J alongside AEK BC, ALBA BERLIN, and Karditsa Iaponiki, while the loser ends their campaign.
Tofas guard Hugo Besson reflected on the defeat, saying: "We gotta, not forget but how do I say, move on. But remember what they did tonight. They were smiling, as I said, putting a lot of pressure on defense and we gotta remember that too. You know, do the same s*** at home."
