US Heffingen B edged Musel Pikes B 80-75 in Dreiborn, a close road win that lifts the leaders to first place and extends their winning run to 10 straight. Heffingen also sweep the season series 2-0 (82-76, 80-75).
The game's tone was set early: Heffingen opened on a 17-0 burst and took the first period 25-11, with Lee Bourgeois pouring in seven straight points during that stretch. Musel steadied in the second (24-24), largely through outside shooting from Chris Dentzer (five made threes on the night; Season PPG: 14.90) and Guy Schmit (Season PPG: 16.56), but Heffingen kept the cushion and pushed the gap to a game-high 19 (37-56) midway through the third.
The hosts made it a contest in the fourth (27-17). Back-to-back threes by Yann Herrmann and Eric Steffen (Season PPG: 16.60) cut it to 69-73, and Dentzer's triple brought Musel within 72-76. In the closing minutes, Max Schmit (20 points; 34 years, 1.82m; Season PPG: 17.55) and Frank Jacoby (21) answered with key baskets to make it 80-72, enough to withstand Schmit's late 2+1 at the other end.
Heffingen's balance carried the day: Jacoby's 21, Schmit's 20 (including a first-quarter free throw and a third-quarter three), and Bourgeois's 19 set the pace. Captain Manuel Scholtus added 9 (three free throws), and veteran Pit Reiter (38) chipped in 7 with two threes. Coach Manuel Scholtus's team dominated inside with 28 made two-pointers and added six free throws.
For Musel, Schmit led with 22, Dentzer had 19 from deep, and Steffen 17. Musel hit 12 threes but managed only three free throws. Coach Romain Steffen's group showed resilience late, but the early 17-0 hole proved decisive.
In the table, Heffingen (14-1) sit alone at the top, while Musel Pikes B remain seventh. Notable sequences: Bourgeois's seven straight points in the first quarter; Musel's fourth-quarter surge fueled by triples. No player fouled out; Philippe Reuter picked up two P2 fouls in the last period, while Jacoby absorbed three fouls in the first three quarters and stayed impactful.
(AI generated)