Bascharage Hedgehogs won a close relégation game in Bettembourg, 75-71, and completed a third win in three meetings with Nitia this season.
Dejan Pavlovic's team set the tone early. Bascharage opened on a 10-0 run, reached a 14-point lead in the first quarter and led 26-13 after 10 minutes. Veljko Dragasevic (Season PPG: 16.48, RPG: 5.32, AssPG: 6.16) and Fabien Vandler gave the visitors immediate scoring punch.
Bradley Melton's side reacted well in the second period. Nitia started the quarter with 8 unanswered points and kept pushing until the gap was only 44-40 at halftime. The home side was more efficient inside, finishing with a good 58% on 2-pointers, while Bascharage relied more on ball movement and depth, ending with 23 assists.
The third quarter changed the rhythm again. MVP Cameron Brooks-Harris (Season PPG: 24.50, RPG: 12.69, AssPG: 3.50), the 25-year-old American, brought Nitia back almost alone for stretches. He scored 5 straight points early in the period and finished with a huge all-around line: 18 points, 15 rebounds, 8 assists, 4 steals and 4 blocks. Mathieu Ercolani and El Hadji Modou Thiam Diop added interior support, and Nitia moved in front 53-52.
The key swing came in the fourth. Nitia turned a 57-60 deficit into a 69-60 lead with 12 unanswered points, powered by Wesley Almeida, Brooks-Harris and captain Christopher Teck. But Bascharage answered with a 15-2 finish. Aziz Ndiaye (Season PPG: 19.04, RPG: 15.11, AssPG: 2.86), the 2.03m Senegalese center, controlled the paint late and posted 16 points with 16 rebounds. Dragasevic closed strongly with 23 points and 11 rebounds, shooting an excellent 5/6 from 2-point range. Deni Sabotic added 12 points and hit the go-ahead three at 71-72. Teck fouled out in the last phase, which mattered in a one-possession finish.
Bascharage are now on a five-game winning run.
(AI generated)