Bascharage Hedgehogs, leaders of the M-Nationale 2 relégation group, controlled the game at BC Mess and won 84-70, extending their current run to five straight victories. BC Mess stays 3rd at 3-3, while Bascharage remains 1st at 5-1.
The visitors set the first tone. After an early 11-9 deficit, Bascharage answered with an 11-0 phase to move to 20-11, then kept a 22-19 edge after the first quarter. Mess reacted well at the start of the second period: Pedrito Kemevuako's three tied it at 22-22. That moment did not last long, as Dejan Pavlovic's team replied through Veljko Dragasevic and Georges Kühn to rebuild separation, then closed the half with more control for 40-32.
The best stretch from Mess came after the break. Fabbri Bruno Zinédine Gauthier and Deanthony Kendrick McCallum combined to bring the home side from 32-42 to 41-42, with McCallum scoring 7 points in a row during that surge. Bascharage handled that pressure well: Aziz Ndiaye and Dragasevic led the answer, and the Hedgehogs finished the third quarter back in command, 63-51.
The fourth quarter confirmed the trend. Bascharage quickly pushed the gap into double digits again and later reached its highest lead at 20 points, 84-64.
Ndiaye, the 29-year-old 2.03m Senegalese center (Season PPG: 19.04), delivered a major game with 33 points, matching his season high. Dragasevic added 14, while Eco and Sabotic scored 11 each. For Mess, McCallum, the 27-year-old American guard/forward (Season PPG: 26.36), carried the offense with 34 points, and captain Gauthier added 18, equalling his season best. Matos Pinto finished with 8, but his late technical came during a phase where Bascharage was already tightening its grip.
(AI generated)