Amazon (AMZ) outlasted Team Teaching (TEA) 74-68 in Clausen after a game of pronounced runs and a composed finish from the hosts.
AMZ opened 3-0 through Luke Feldman (AMZ), but TEA replied with a 9-0 burst to seize a 3-9 lead and closed the first quarter 11-19. The hosts answered across the break with an 11-0 sequence to move ahead 22-19, sparked by Blas Moreno Rodriguez (AMZ) and Lorenzo Merci (AMZ) from long range. TEA responded decisively to finish the half on a 10-0 run (from 24-23 to 24-33), with Xavier Engel (TEA) active and Pit Meintz (TEA) hitting from three.
After the interval, AMZ immediately strung together a 10-0 run to flip the game to 34-33. The third quarter featured swings and fouls: AMZ picked up a cluster of personals mid-period, including back-to-back whistles on Merci, yet the hosts steadied through Fabrizio Merlo (AMZ) from deep and the stripe to reach 50-50 after three.
In the fourth, Moreno Rodriguez scored twice early (52-50, 54-50) and kept AMZ in front during a trading phase with Engel and Max Schmit (TEA). At 65-65 came the decisive stretch: Merci scored inside (67-65) and Merlo calmly sank four free throws in a row to make it 71-65. Engel struck back from three (71-68), but Merlo answered with a dagger triple for 74-68. That matched AMZ's largest lead of the night; TEA's peak advantage was nine at 24-33.
Top scorers
- AMZ: Lorenzo Merci (AMZ) 20 (5 FT, 6x2P, 1x3P), Blas Moreno Rodriguez (AMZ) 18 (1 FT, 4x2P, 3x3P), Fabrizio Merlo (AMZ) 17 (6 FT, 1x2P, 3x3P), Luke Feldman (AMZ) 13 (2x2P, 3x3P). Feldman navigated four fouls without fouling out.
- TEA: Max Schmit (TEA) 18 (1 FT, 7x2P, 1x3P), Xavier Engel (TEA) 17 (5 FT, 3x2P, 2x3P), Pol Schwartz (TEA) 13, Daniel Weyrich (TEA) 9.
Coaches: Gabriele Luca Lazzati (AMZ) used a timely timeout mid-third; Pit Meintz (TEA) guided a strong first-half surge. AMZ captain Blas Moreno Rodriguez delivered in key moments.
(AI generated)