US Heffingen edged AS Soleuvre 79-76 in Heffingen, a top-of-table clash in the M-Nationale 2 qualification phase. After a 17-17 first quarter, the hosts created separation in the second (26-19) and built their largest lead late in the third, 60-52, on a 7-0 burst capped by scores from Jordan Rodrigo Carreira Kreps and Gerry Schuder Minden. Soleuvre, however, kept coming and even took a 75-76 lead inside the last minute behind Christian Jeffrey Parker.
Heffingen then found the game winners: Carreira Kreps (Season PPG: 8.40, RPG: 4.00, AssPG: 3.50) hit the go-ahead basket for 77-76, and Lee Bourgeois (Season PPG: 3.40, RPG: 2.00, AssPG: 0.38) added the final layup for 79-76. Bourgeois also had a key personal 3-0 run earlier in the fourth (FT and a 2) that pushed HEF to 75-71.
US Heffingen's interior efficiency was decisive: 29/50 on 2s (58% - good by our scale) and 9/12 at the line (75% - good), despite a cold 4/25 from three (16%). Soleuvre finished 22/44 on 2s (50%), 9/29 from deep (31%) and 5/7 at the line (71%).
Among Heffingen's foreign contingent, Austin Joseph Parker III (Season PPG: 18.17, RPG: 8.75, AssPG: 3.25) delivered 24 points on powerful inside scoring, Thomas Killian Quarry (Season PPG: 25.67, RPG: 6.88, AssPG: 3.25) added 15 with 5/5 FTs, and Luke Henry Haasl (Season PPG: 16.33, RPG: 13.00, AssPG: 0.50) controlled the glass with 13 rebounds. Among the locals, Carreira Kreps contributed 12 points and 6 assists, while Bourgeois was ultra-efficient (12 points, 5/6 on 2s) and clutch.
For Soleuvre, Parker (Season PPG: 23.83, RPG: 14.14, AssPG: 1.14) posted a dominant 18-point, 18-rebound double-double plus 5 steals, and Felix Whitcomb Kloman (Season PPG: 29.00, RPG: 6.50, AssPG: 2.67) scored 24, including five triples, though he picked up a technical in the third. Sandro Sanches Gomes Junior (PRT; Season PPG: 10.50, RPG: 6.14, AssPG: 0.71) added 18, while among the home players Gilles Weis (Season PPG: 8.67, RPG: 4.00, AssPG: 3.71) hit a late three and a two to fuel the final push.
Coach Alexis Kreps' team stays perfect at 6-0 and remains first; Eric Bettini's Soleuvre drops to 5-1 after five straight wins.
(AI generated)