AS CFL advanced in the Bascol Coupe liminatoires with a 63-51 road win at Lux Gare, breaking the game open with a decisive late surge. The start belonged to the visitors as Patrick Walavens (CFL) hit two early threes in an 0-8 opening, but Titans answered with an 11-0 run capped by Christophe Jeandey (TIT) to lead 11-10 after the first quarter.
Titans pushed the margin to 15-10 early in the second behind Jeandey, before CFL flipped the momentum at the line: Walavens and Eric Wagner (CFL) combined for a string of free throws in a 10-0 response, and CFL led 25-27 at the half. Miguel Gonzales (TIT) kept the hosts in it after the break; his three and a triple from Liviu Rusu (TIT) put Titans up 35-30, then 41-37. From there the game turned. CFL closed the third on a 10-0 run (baskets by Walavens, Paul Thinnes and Wagner) to 41-47, and Walavens opened the fourth with 10 straight points himself back-to-back threes and two drives stretching the run to 20-0 across quarters for the nights largest lead (+16 at 41-57). Michael Zianveni (TIT) stopped the drought from the stripe, but CFL controlled the finish.
Walavens (CFL), the captain, delivered 29 points with five triples and key fourth-quarter shot-making. Wagner added 16 and steady scoring inside and at the line, while Thinnes had 9 and timely contributions despite committing two quick personals in the third. For Titans, Gonzales led with 19 (three threes), Jeandey scored 16, Rusu 7, Zianveni 5 and Artur Wozniak 4. Notable sequences included Gonzales committing three P2 fouls in the second quarter and the Titans 11-0 answer to the early 0-10 hole.
CFL finished with 6 made threes, 19 twos and 7 free throws; Titans had 5 threes, 15 twos and 6 free throws. Under coach Georges Wolzfeld, CFLs adjustments around halftime set up the knockout run. Coach Michel Zianvenis side fought back, but the visitors burst decided the tie.
(AI generated)