AS Soleuvre overturned a shaky start to win 80-90 at Mondercange. BC Mess burst out 27-16 in the first quarter, fueled by 1.95m Cobie Logan Barnes (25, USA), who strung together a personal 7-0 with two bombs and set the early tone. Coach Stéphane Frentzel's team led by as many as 11, but after the break Soleuvre flipped the game with inside power and took a 37-40 halftime edge. The third quarter traded blows to 64-65, setting up a tight finish.
Mess briefly regained control at 73-71 on a Barnes three with five minutes left. From there Soleuvre closed with a 15-2 run: Christian Jeffrey Parker and Felix Whitcomb Kloman scored on successive trips, and an unsportsmanlike foul on Pedrito Kemevuako led to two made free throws by captain Gilles Weis and extra possession. The visitors stretched it to +12 at 78-90 before Mess scored late.
Parker (Season PPG: 24.64, RPG: 14.60, AssPG: 1.60) was MVP with 31 points, 19 rebounds and an excellent 70% on twos (14/20). Kloman (Season PPG: 32.80, RPG: 6.11, AssPG: 3.11) added 30, with an excellent 8/11 on twos and 2/2 at the line. Sandro Sanches Gomes Junior chipped in 12 on an excellent 5/7 inside and 2/2 FT. Among the supporting cast, Raphaël Peffer had 8 and Weis 5.
Barnes (Season PPG: 33.00, RPG: 12.07, AssPG: 2.07) answered with 38, drilling an excellent 9/17 from three. Deanthony Kendrick McCallum (Season PPG: 25.73, RPG: 4.79, AssPG: 5.00) posted 22 and 7 assists but picked up consecutive fouls in Q2 and eventually fouled out in the fourth, a turning point for Mess. Team-wise, Mess shot 10/26 from deep (38%, good) and 12/16 at the line (75%, good) but only 45% on twos and committed 17 turnovers. Soleuvre owned the paint with 31/50 on twos (62%, good), limited errors (9 turnovers) and swiped 10 steals.
Highest leads: Mess +11 in Q1, Soleuvre +12 late. Winners: AS Soleuvre, now on a four-game winning streak; Mess drop a second straight. Coach Eric Bettini's group controlled the interior and the final minutes.
(AI generated)