AS Soleuvre, now first in M-U16 Division 2 Phase finale (+1) and on a six-game winning run, edged Gréngewald Hueschtert 83-81 in another very tight duel after their earlier 84-82 win in the same matchup. GRE still climbed to third place (+2).
The game opened with Gréngewald's 4-0 start, but Soleuvre settled quickly behind Nik Lahure (Season PPG: 26.45) and Yann Conan (Season PPG: 13.50). SOL led only 18-17 after one quarter, then built the game's biggest margin at 35-27 late in the second period, helped by timely threes from Lou Lahure (Season PPG: 3.67) and Phillipe Vieira Geraldes (Season PPG: 7.60).
Coach Nicolas Saquan Parrish's team answered strongly in the third. Pol Elcheroth (Season PPG: 24.55) and 15-year-old Mats van den Biezenbos from the Netherlands (Season PPG: 20.68) turned 37-31 into a 56-53 GRE lead going into the fourth. Elcheroth was outstanding, finishing with 48 points, exactly matching his season high, and he kept Gréngewald in front for long stretches.
The last quarter was decisive. GRE reached 73-67, but Soleuvre replied with 8 unanswered points: two free throws from Vieira Geraldes, a basket by Nils Krantz (Season PPG: 7.24), then scores from Lahure and Conan for 75-73. After Gréngewald tied it again, Soleuvre produced another key burst from 77-79 to 83-79 through Lahure, Max Kunen (Season PPG: 11.33) and Conan. GRE came back to 83-81, but Soleuvre held on.
Lahure led SOL with 30 points, Conan added 26, and their inside-out scoring decided the close finish. For GRE, Elcheroth's 48-point display was the main difference-maker, with van den Biezenbos adding 19 and Mika Kirchen (Season PPG: 10.35) 8.
(AI generated)