BC Mess won a close cup game at Contern, 76-74, and moved on from the 1/16 finals after a stronger middle stretch and a calmer finish.
AB Contern, coached by Nigel Tolentino, opened at high speed with 31 points in the first quarter and led 31-23. Jonas Carlisle (23, 1.93m, USA) and Jeffrey Schumacher (23, 1.93m) drove that start, while Cameron Brooks-Harris (26, 2.00m, USA) added early impact inside. Contern's biggest lead reached 8 points.
BC Mess, under Stéphane Frentzel, changed the rhythm in the second quarter. Contern scored only 5 points there, and Mess erased the gap with a 7-0 push to 36-36. From that point, the visitors controlled much of the game flow. They won the third period 24-16 and turned 45-41 into 60-52, with Luke Davis (25, 2.03m, USA) dominating the paint and Keishon Porter (24, 1.96m, USA) punishing Contern in several key possessions.
Contern still came back hard in the last quarter. From 52-60, they produced a 17-8 run to go in front 69-68, helped by Schumacher, Carlisle and Mihailo Andjelkovic (27, 1.86m). But Mess answered immediately: Porter hit a three for 71-69, then Pedrito Kemevuako (18, 1.78m) scored 5 straight points for 76-72. Carlisle made the last 2 free throws, but Mess stayed ahead.
Davis was the MVP with 23 points and 21 rebounds, a major double-double. Porter added 30 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocks, with excellent 8/10 shooting from 2-point range. Kemevuako gave Mess 12 points and an excellent 2/2 from three; as a team, Mess were good from long range at 8/21, 38%.
For Contern, Carlisle posted 23 points and 10 rebounds, Schumacher had 15 points and 10 rebounds, and Brooks-Harris contributed 15 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals, including an excellent 5/7 on 2-pointers. Contern's 6/30 from three and 14/21 on free throws weighed on the final margin.
(AI generated)