BBC East Side Pirates edged Arantia Larochette 67-63 in Larochette after a late surge flipped a game Arantia had largely controlled. The hosts opened with a 10-1 start and closed the first quarter up 18-11. Pirates replied with a 17-10 second period to tie it 28-28 at halftime.
Arantia reasserted themselves in the third. Jana Agnès (Season PPG: 11.92) strung together five straight points to make it 37-32, while Michele Elsen (Season PPG: 14.46) and Mathilda Wurth (Season PPG: 11.62) kept the scoreboard moving. The lead grew to nine (50-41) and stood at 50-43 after three. Early in the fourth, Elsen pushed it to 52-43 and Agnès to 58-53, matching Arantia's highest margin of nine for the night.
The game turned in the final minutes. Louisa Schmit (Season PPG: 21.33) took over with eight consecutive points for Pirates scoring at 58-55, 58-57, 58-59 and 58-61 to swing the lead for good. Arantia stopped the bleeding at the line, but Pirates closed it out through Schmit and captain Nelly Ney (14 years), who combined for decisive baskets in a 24-13 fourth quarter.
Pirates' attack was built almost entirely inside: 30 made two-pointers (60 points) and seven free throws, with no three-pointers. Arantia answered with 26 twos (52 points) and an edge at the stripe (11 made), but couldn't find a long-range make either. For Arantia, Agnès and Elsen scored 15 each, Wurth added 13 and Emma Brunetti (Season PPG: 10.85) had 8. Pirates were led by Schmit's 24, Ney's 15 and Aurélie Biver's 8.
Coach Tania Mehlen's adjustments and timeouts stabilized Pirates in the second and set up the late push, while Pedro Nunes Jordão's team twice built nine-point cushions before being reeled in. The result moves Pirates up to 2nd in the Phase finale (+2 ranking gain, 2-2), while Arantia remain 5th at 0-4. Arantia's current skid extends to four losses in a row.
(AI generated)