Musel Pikes controlled the second half to defeat Amicale Steesel 86-74 in the M-U22 Qualifications. The visitors started better, building a 9-21 lead in the first quarter and taking the opening period 19-27. Amicale held a 38-44 advantage at halftime behind steady scoring from captain Sean Bugeja and sharpshooter Bob Rech.
The game turned decisively after the break. Musel opened the third quarter with a 27-9 blast, flipping 41-44 into 65-51 and never looking back. Konan Boglin Oth (18, 1.90m, Season PPG: 23.0) drove the swing with 17 points in the quarter, including six straight to move the score from 44-44 to 48-44. Musel later peaked at +17 (86-69). Amicale stayed afloat with perimeter strikes Rech hit five three-pointers on his way to 19 points, and Fábio Teixeira added a fourth-quarter triple but the gap persisted.
For Musel, Oth finished with 30 points, built on 14 made two-point field goals and two free throws. Captain Enzo Sanna (20, 1.92m; Season PPG: 10.8) added 21, converting nine twos and one three. Jason Hartz (Season PPG: 17.3) supplied 11 with three triples, and David Ferreira Gordo (Season PPG: 8.5) contributed 13. Marko Mustafic (Season PPG: 12.83) chipped in 7, including a key fourth-quarter three.
For Amicale, Bugeja (Season PPG: 17.56) matched Rech with 19 points, mixing five free throws, four twos and two threes. Kelvin Almeida Lopes de Pina (Season PPG: 17.38) added 12, while Landon Wohl scored 9.
Coach Adrien Frédérique Jacquet's team has now won four of its last five and climbs to 2nd in the standings (+2). Coach Daniel Alves Brandao de Sousa's Amicale slips to 4th (-1).
(AI generated)