Black Lions (BLD) edged BBC Police (PLC) 76-71 in Grimler, overturning a 13-point deficit with a decisive fourth quarter. The game opened with a 5-0 burst from BLD, sparked by Olivier Summer (BLD) who scored the first five points. PLC steadied to lead 20-18 after the first period, then took control of the second behind a surge from Alexandre Pereira Meireles (PLC). He strung together back-to-back twos early in the quarter and later buried consecutive threes to stretch the gap to 45-32, PLC's largest lead (+13) before BLD trimmed it to 45-34 at halftime.
BLD began their climb in the third (18-12), with Angelo Barnellini (BLD) and Denis Wirtz (BLD) chipping away. A highlight for PLC came when Lionel Delhaye (PLC) completed a four-point play to push the visitors ahead 55-46. Still, BLD closed the quarter down just 52-57.
The final period flipped the outcome. Barnellini caught fire from deep with three fourth-quarter triples, and Tom Schumacher (BLD) added a key three at 69-65 plus multiple late twos to keep BLD in front. The pivotal swing came from 61-62: Nils Schroeder (BLD) put BLD ahead 63-62, Barnellini followed with another three for 66-62, and the hosts never trailed again despite PLC replies from Jeff Bofferding (PLC) and a late bucket by Jacques Bintz (PLC). Schumacher then scored four straight points to make it 76-70, effectively sealing it.
Top scorers: Schumacher (21) and Barnellini (19) led BLD, with support from Summer (12) and Wirtz (11). For PLC, Pereira Meireles delivered a game-high 24, backed by Eric Bissener (13), Bofferding (10) and Delhaye (8). Notable sequences included Pereira Meireles' back-to-back threes in Q2 and Barnellini's trio of Q4 triples. In a tense finish, Schroeder was whistled for three personal fouls in a row in the fourth but BLD managed the foul trouble. Coaching notes: player-coach Tom Schumacher guided BLD's late-game choices, while Norman Aust's PLC rode a strong middle stretch before being overtaken in the final minutes.
(AI generated)