Kordall Steelers, 7th in the standings, edged 11th-placed BC Mess 58-53 in another tight meeting between the sides after their 58-56 win in the first leg. For KDS, it stopped a four-game losing streak.
The game stayed close all night. Mess opened well and led 12-6, but Kordall finished the first quarter on a 10-2 run to go ahead 16-14. Joao Carlos Santiago Janeiro's team answered in the second period: a 10-2 spell turned a 14-18 deficit into a 24-20 lead, before the teams reached halftime level at 30-30. The third quarter was again balanced and ended 42-42.
The decisive stretch came in the last quarter. Mess moved in front 47-44, then Kordall produced nine unanswered points through Kim Hurt, Laetitia Emilia Angès Soares and 38-year-old, 1.75m forward Sarah Macri to lead 53-47, matching the game's biggest gap. Mess answered with six straight points for 53-53, but Hurt converted two free throws and Macri knocked down the final three points.
Macri (Season PPG: 9.64) and Soares (Season PPG: 15.25) led KDS with 17 points each, while captain Hurt (Season PPG: 4.84) added 11. Soares was central to Kordall's offense through the middle stages, although she later received a disqualifying foul in the fourth quarter. For Mess, captain Lynn Thilges (Season PPG: 14.56) scored 19, Caroline Pantaleoni (Season PPG: 12.44) added 14, and Noémie Schammo (Season PPG: 8.60) finished with 11.
Kordall remain 7th. Mess, despite the loss, moved up one place to 11th.
(AI generated)