BC Mess overpowered Musel Pikes 97-60 in the M-Coupe Minis 1/8 finales, breaking the game open with a devastating third quarter.
Mess started sharply. Fabio Freymann (MES) hit the first five points of the night (3+2), and with Nils Muller (MES) and Eli Nosbusch (MES) adding steady baskets, the visitors led 26-20 after 10 minutes. Musel's coach Hichem El Basri stopped the game early with a timeout, and later again midway through Q2, but Mess kept control, edging the second quarter 17-14 for a 43-34 halftime lead. Freymann strung together five straight points in Q2 (FT, 2, 2), while Jack Kemmer (MUS) answered to keep the hosts within range. Muller also struck from deep before the break.
The decisive stretch came right after halftime. Mess opened the third with a 14-0 run (from 36-45 to 36-59), fueled by Muller, Nosbusch and Gabriel Da Fonseca Rocha (MES). Muller poured in points in waves, and Nosbusch was relentless in transition. The quarter finished 38-9 for Mess, lifting the lead beyond thirty. Musel tried to respond through Kemmer and Rody Minutella (MUS), but the gap was insurmountable; the largest margin reached +39 (58-97). El Basri used another timeout early in Q4 to steady his team.
Nosbusch was on a roll through the second half and finished with 33 points (16x2P, 1x1P). Muller added 25 (9x2P, 1x3P, 4x1P), and Freymann also had 25 (7x2P, 2x3P, 5x1P). Noa Priso Dikoume (13, FRA) chipped in with 6. For Musel, Kemmer led with 26 (11x2P, 4x1P), supported by C. Meyers (MUS) with 12 (1x3P, 4x2P, 1x1P) and Minutella with 8. Early on, Charel Engel (MUS) picked up two quick fouls in Q1, which did not help the hosts' defensive rhythm.
Coach Fernand Musquar's Mess controlled the game's tempo for three quarters and used that third-period surge to decide the tie. The youngest on the floor, Aziel Flavien Kemevuako (10, AGO), also found the score sheet for Mess.
(AI generated)