T71 Dudelange beat Musel Pikes 83-68 at grimler/central in a game that swung after the first quarter. In front of 250 spectators (217 paying), Musel started sharper: Tom Welter calmly sank three free throws in a row and Sam Streef strung together a 2+1+2 burst before a late triple pushed the visitors to 14-21 after 10 minutes.
Coach Christophe Ney's side flipped the script in the second period with better ball movement and shot selection. Joe Kalmes and Jimmie Lee Taylor III hit from deep, and a 23-13 quarter sent T71 to the locker room up 37-34. Early in the third, Tristin Matthew Walley (Season PPG: 18.4, RPG: 11.33, AssPG: 2.67) kept Musel close at 37-36, but Taylor answered with a three and Uros Malesevic (19, 1.95m) delivered five straight points to 54-42, establishing a double-digit cushion.
The key stretch came to open the fourth: Kalmes scored five points in a row (two free throws and a three) and soon added a two for 65-48, the night's largest lead (+17). Musel replied through Maurice Gordon (Season PPG: 18.4, RPG: 7.33, AssPG: 3.67) and Streef, but T71 closed with timely threes from Christopher David Jack and Davide Grun (25, 1.86m).
Numbers underline the outcome: T71 were good inside (2P 21/40, 52.5%), won the offensive glass 15-10 and dominated assists 18-8, while Musel struggled from deep (3/20, 15%). At the line, Musel had volume (19/26, 73%), but T71's Kalmes was perfect (4/4).
Standouts: Kalmes (Season PPG: 20.6, RPG: 9.0, AssPG: 0.8) authored a 33-point, 15-rebound double-double and shot an excellent 5/9 from three, adding 4 assists. Taylor (Season PPG: 18.4, RPG: 5.8, AssPG: 1.6) had 20. Mekhi Jermaine Long (Season PPG: 22.8, RPG: 11.0, AssPG: 1.8) posted 14 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists while navigating foul trouble (4). For Musel, Walley recorded a double-double (16 points, 12 rebounds), Gordon added 16 and 2 blocks, and Streef scored 15; Welter contributed 9 with an early scoring streak.
In the standings, T71 climb to 1st (+3) and extend their run to three straight wins; Musel sit 5th (-2). Coach Brian Walker Carroll's team will rue a cold perimeter night.
(AI generated)