Musel Pikes edged Bad Homburg 74-71 in a close international friendly, with the game decided in the final minute.
Bad Homburg started better and led 25-20 after one quarter. Andrea Dodig (HOM) and Isabel Gregor (HOM) helped set the tone early, while Musel answered through Miri Platte (MUS), who opened with two straight threes for 6 points in a row. The visitors' biggest cushion was 7 points at 25-18.
Coach Rouven Behnke's team changed the rhythm in the second quarter. Musel won that period 28-19 and turned the game at 48-44 by halftime. Sophia Margaret Nolan (26, USA) was the key figure in that stretch, scoring 15 of her 16 points in the second quarter alone. Platte (MUS) also struck again with back-to-back threes, while Ella Joy Gallatin (22, USA) kept pressure on the rim.
The third quarter stayed tight, but Musel kept control and moved to 61-56. Gallatin, Nolan and Platte gave the home side three reliable scoring options, with Alexandra Weber (26, 1.68m) adding an important three-pointer.
Bad Homburg stayed in contact all the way. Early in the fourth, a 6-0 push cut the score from 63-56 to 63-62, and later Jerrine Steinhoff (HOM) and Chiara Dröll (HOM) hit consecutive threes to level it at 68-68. Gregor finished with 12 points, Monika Crnjac (HOM) added 11, Meghan Kenefick (HOM) 10, and Dröll plus Dodig scored 7 each.
The decisive sequence came from the foul line. Gallatin scored four late free throws, Magaly Meynadier (MUS) added two more, and Dröll's late three only trimmed the gap to 74-71. Dodig (HOM) also picked up two late fouls in quick succession and fouled out, which mattered in the closing possessions.
(AI generated)