Musel Pikes won a close U22 qualification game at home, beating Etzella Ettelbruck 86-80. The result had an immediate effect on the table: MUS moved up three places to 3rd after losing their previous game, while ETZ remained 1st despite the defeat.

Etzella were better early. Coach Nelson Delgado's team opened on a 7-0 run and led 24-17 after the first quarter. Noah Wolter (Season PPG: 22.00) set the tone straight away, and ETZ reached a highest lead of nine points. José Miguel Domingos Sanches (Season PPG: 10.17) gave strong outside support and finished with five three-pointers.

The key swing came late in the second quarter. Trailing 25-33, Musel closed the half on a 10-0 run to go in front 35-33. Coach Majdi Anan's team then added the first 7 points of the third quarter, stretching that sequence to 17 unanswered points for 42-33. That changed the rhythm of the game.

Musel's biggest lead was 11 points, first at 59-48 and again at 66-55. Marko Mustafic (21, 1.88m, HRV) was important with 19 points, while Jules Henri Ghislain Jacquet (MUS) added 18 and Luca Monteiro Delgado (Season PPG: 8.17) scored 15 with efficient interior production.

Etzella stayed close through the fourth quarter and won it 29-27. Lenny Lopes Morais (17, 1.85m) added 19 points, Wolter finished with 27, and Charel Wilmes contributed 8. ETZ cut the gap to 81-75 and later 83-77, but Musel answered each push, notably through Colin Schanen Sar (Season PPG: 5.83) and Geoffrey Schlammes (Season PPG: 15.83).
(AI generated)