First-place Amicale Steesel stayed perfect in W-U19 Division 2: Phase finale, beating second-place Musel Pikes 71-66 in Steinsel. It was another tight head-to-head after the 81-80 game earlier in the season, but this time AMI controlled the key stretches and extended its winning streak to six, while MUS saw a four-game winning run end.
The game turned quickly after Musel's 2-0 start. AMI answered with 7 straight points, then later an 8-0 burst to open a 19-7 gap. That first quarter gave the home side its highest lead at 14 points and a 26-14 cushion. Musel reacted well in the second period, trimming the margin with a 9-1 sequence and getting back to 30-26, but Amicale still held a 36-30 lead at halftime.
The third quarter kept the game alive. Nanda Kleuls (Season PPG: 14.00) drove Musel's comeback, and the visitors cut the deficit to 39-37. AMI answered mainly through captain Lily Wittwer (Season PPG: 24.29), who finished with 32 points, and the 18-year-old 1.80m forward/center Kathryn Jo Missavage (Season PPG: 26.25), who added 29. Together they scored 61 of AMI's 71 points.
Musel stayed close into the last quarter. After AMI led 65-57, MUS produced 7 unanswered points to get within 65-64. That was the crucial moment. Missavage then scored 6 straight points, all from the line, to re-establish control. On the visitors' side, Kleuls had 20 points, while Alessia Bidoli (Season PPG: 7.32) and Léa Muacho (Season PPG: 6.38) scored 11 each, as did Hannah Curridor (Season PPG: 14.56). AMI also had to manage foul pressure, with Kendra Anaïs Vanessa Leveling, the 17-year-old Belgian 1.80m forward/center (Season PPG: 10.50), committing three fouls in the third quarter and a fourth early in the fourth.
(AI generated)