BC Mess, ranked 2nd, won a close 69-64 road game at 4th-ranked Black Frogs Schieren and also took the season series 2-0.
Mess started with more control and led 14-8 after the first quarter. Schieren reacted well in the second period. Coach Armstead's team opened that quarter with an 11-4 run and briefly moved in front, 19-18, after a three by Mathis Kraus (Season PPG: 15.70). Coach Musquar's side answered immediately with 8 straight points and restored a 26-21 lead at halftime.
The visitors created the key separation in the third quarter. After Schieren had cut the score to 26-33, Mess went on a 12-1 run to reach 45-27, with Fabio Freymann (Season PPG: 13.00), Noa Priso Dikoume (Season PPG: 10.77) and Nils Muller (Season PPG: 17.09) pushing the offense. Mess entered the last quarter ahead 47-34 and extended the margin to a game-high 17 points at 53-36.
Schieren still made the finish tense. The hosts first produced a 9-0 run from 43-58 to 52-58, then came back again from 52-66 to 64-67. Kraus carried that push and scored 13 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter. Rick Marth (Season PPG: 11.40) added 16 points, and Dilson Furtado Correia finished with 8.
Mess stayed composed in the final minute. Freymann led all scorers for the winners with 21 points, Muller and Priso Dikoume both had 11, and Théo Bakija (Season PPG: 16.47) added 9, including the last 2 free throws. Mess has now won three straight games.
(AI generated)