Black Star Mersch overturned a double-digit deficit to win 98-89 at Zolwer/Scheierhaff, finishing with a dominant 36-24 fourth quarter. AS Soleuvre controlled the first half (25-24; 28-18) behind shot-making from Felix Whitcomb Kloman (Season PPG: 30.57) and Gilles Weis (Season PPG: 10.00). A 11-2 surge across the second quarter (threes by Weis and Kloman, inside touches from Christian Jeffrey Parker, Season PPG: 21.57) pushed SOL to a 53-42 halftime lead.
The game turned late in the third. After Black Star trimmed it to 65-62, SOL starter Sandro Sanches Gomes Junior picked up an unsportsmanlike (U2) and later fouled out with 8 points, disrupting the hosts' rotation. Coach Filip Dukic's team seized the momentum and kept attacking the rim.
In the fourth, Weis opened with four straight from the stripe for 67-60, but BSM answered and, from 77-77, strung a 5-0 run capped by a Desean Hampton (27, USA) triple for 82-77. Felix Urwald (Season PPG: 10.17) then closed it at the line: he hit 10 free throws in the last period alone, part of his 23 points. Donte Bezel Pope (23, USA) added 33, repeatedly scoring through contact, while Hampton powered to 28. Romain Dieterlen (Season PPG: 6.67) chipped in 10.
Kloman poured in 40 for SOL (six threes, six twos, 10 free throws) and scored 16 in the fourth to keep his side in touch; Weis had 18 and Mathys Alain Baptiste Ntemo 13. Parker added 8. Youth gave minutes but also fouls; Cyprien Gabriel Julien Brochot-Carric (19, FRA) fouled out.
Game evolution favored the visitors' physical, foul-drawing approach late; BSM lived at the line and controlled the final minutes. With this result, Black Star climbs to 4th (5-1, +3 positions), while Soleuvre stays 2nd at 5-2. BSM has now won two straight; SOL's five-game winning start is followed by two losses. Coach Eric Bettini will note that SOL led by as many as 11, while BSM's largest edge was the final +9.
(AI generated)