Bascharage Hedgehogs edged Black Star Mersch 85-84 in Bascharage after a dramatic fourth-quarter surge and a game-winning free throw by Jeffrey Early Jr. (Season PPG: 27.7, RPG: 6.08, AssPG: 3.38). The visitors dominated the opening frame 33-16 behind a flurry from Donte Bezel Pope (23 years, USA), who drilled 12/12 at the line and 4/7 from three, and Black Star still led 54-72 after three. Mid-third the gap peaked at 22 (41-63).
Coach Nicolas Schaefers' side flipped the script with a 31-12 last quarter, stringing together a 19-2 run from 61-78 to 80-80, keyed by Early Jr. and Aziz Ndiaye (29 years, 2.03m, SEN). After two late free throws by Desean Hampton made it 84-84, Early Jr. hit the decisive foul shot in the closing moments.
Pope was outstanding with 42 points on excellent shooting (100% FT, 57% 3P) and 9/15 on twos. Hampton (Season PPG: 18.6, RPG: 10.0, AssPG: 3.5) added 19 and 12 boards. From the supporting cast, Kevin Sarlette (Season PPG: 10.57, RPG: 3.0, AssPG: 5.0) chipped in 12. Black Star's 3-point shooting (23%, 7/31) cooled after the break despite 14 offensive rebounds.
For Bascharage, Early Jr. led with 35 (11/15 2P, 10/13 FT) plus 9 rebounds and 7 assists; Ndiaye delivered a double-double (18 points, 14 rebounds; Season PPG: 17.0, RPG: 14.55, AssPG: 2.27). Veljko Dragasevic (Season PPG: 15.56, RPG: 6.0, AssPG: 5.64) added 15 and a pair of timely threes, while Malik Demirovic hit a key triple to fuel the rally. The home side's efficiency inside (63% 2P) and at the line (81%) was decisive; Black Star shot 53% on twos and 75% at the stripe.
The third quarter turned tense with technicals to Early Jr. and Dragasevic; Pope converted three straight free throws in that spell. Bascharage, 7th in the table (4-6), stopped a four-game slide. Black Star, 4th (6-4), slipped to a fourth straight defeat. Notably, BSM fielded two professionals to BAS's one. Coach Filip Dukic's team led most of the night but could not withstand the late surge.
(AI generated)