Bourg finally breaks the Ekinox derby curse against ASVEL!
Dec 26, 2025
Arthur Puybertier
William McDowell-White out for several weeks, JL Bourg searching for reinforcement
Betclic ELITE - JL Bourg announced the injury of their point guard William McDowell-White, who suffered a right hand injury and will be unavailable for approximately eight weeks, just before defeating ASVEL in Betclic ELITE this Friday night.
Photo Credit : Cécile Thomas
Before the victory against ASVEL this Friday night, JL Bourg announced the injury of William McDowell-White (6’5″, 27 years old). Already sidelined earlier in the 2025-2026 season, the Australian point guard is once again forced to stop, in an already complicated context for the Bourg roster.
Another tough blow for JL Bourg
The victory in Saint-Quentin was not entirely good news for JL Bourg. On a block attempt, William McDowell-White violently hit the backboard with his right hand. The diagnosis came quickly: fracture of the fourth metacarpal, with an estimated unavailability of eight weeks.
In its statement, the club described it as a « poisoned Christmas gift » for the staff and the team, already impacted by the absence of Tre Mitchell. The Australian point guard will therefore miss a significant portion of the winter, both in Betclic ELITE and in EuroCup.
2025-2026 Stats / Betclic ELITE
PTS
5.8
#140
REB
2
#139
AST
4.9
#10
A significant sporting impact
Brought to Bourg-en-Bresse to provide creation and stability at the point guard position, William McDowell-White was averaging 5.8 points, 2 rebounds and 4.9 assists in Betclic ELITE this season, as well as 8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists in EuroCup. A modest but valuable output in JL’s collective balance.
His absence now forces the staff to reorganize the backcourt rotation, as they approach a dense schedule and major matchups.
Despite the great victory, the game against Saint-Quentin delivered a poisoned Christmas gift to the team and staff, with William McDowell-White’s hand injury for 8 weeks.
Read the statement 🔗 https://t.co/Eh79i3MiCz pic.twitter.com/a8IEMezjEX
— JL Bourg Basket (@JLBourgBasket) December 26, 2025
Medical replacement option being studied
Faced with this new injury, JL Bourg confirmed they are searching for a possible medical replacement. But caution is warranted. The club specifies that this option will only be activated if a player « in good enough shape, and with the right mindset » is available, so as not to disrupt « the chemistry and collective dynamics » of the group.
In the meantime, it’s a physically diminished but « mentally strong and extremely united » roster that will start the year 2026, after proving their worth to close out 2025 with a historic victory against their neighbor ASVEL.
Gabriel Pantel-Jouve est le fondateur et rédacteur en chef de BeBasket, qu’il anime depuis 2010 (sous le nom de Catch & Shoot). Passé par l’Ecole Publique de Journaliste de Tours, puis deux universités en Amérique du Nord, il a pu développer son expertise sur le basket français, de la Ligue Nationale aux divisions amateurs, durant ces 20 dernières années. En parallèle, il est aussi engagé dans le développement de clubs du côté de Montpellier.
Commentaires