Mambra Mamer edged Kordall Steelers 96-91 in a close qualification-round game in Mamer, turning a 16-point deficit into a late win. Kordall controlled the first half: 28-18 after Q1 and up by as many as +16 (26-42) in Q2 before Mamer trimmed it to 44-53 at the break.
The game flipped after halftime. From 52-63, Mamer strung together a 17-6 surge to 69-69 at the end of the third, fueled by Raphaël Cheng Somphong Muth's repeated finishes and Terry Winn III's presence on the glass. The fourth quarter opened with an Albin Azemi triple for Mamer's first lead since early on, and the final minutes belonged to the hosts: after Kordall briefly moved ahead 88-89, Azemi buried two late threes (3/4 from deep) and Domenick Thomas Sleva added a key basket as Mamer closed it out.
Shooting told a part of the story. Mamer posted excellent 3-point accuracy (7/13, 54%) and good marks on 2s (30/46, 65%) and free throws (15/20, 75%). Kordall shot well from 2 (23/38, 61%) and 3 (10/28, 36%) but left points at the line (15/21, 71%). Playmaking was decisive: Mamer dominated assists 22-5 and won the turnover battle 8-14, offsetting Kordall's edge on the boards (32-29, including 13 offensive rebounds).
For Mamer, the non-domestic trio drove the comeback: Sleva (Season PPG: 24.46, RPG: 7.75, AssPG: 3.77) flirted with a triple-double 21 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists; Winn III (30, 1.99m, USA) delivered 17 points and 11 rebounds; Alan Bedirhanoglu (Season PPG: 13.67, RPG: 5.13) added 23 points. The homegrown core chipped in efficiently Maid Adrovic (Season % 1P: 87.2; 3P: 41.2) scored 12 on perfect 2/2 from three and 4/4 at the line, while Azemi's nine points all came from deep in clutch time. Muth (12) fouled out late after a vital third-quarter stretch.
Kordall's non-domestic scorers were prolific: Gianluca Pellegrino Ombroni (Season PPG: 16.18) led with 28 points and an excellent 5/7 from three; Andre Snoddy (23, 1.98m, USA) had 17; Robertas Jonaitis added 16, and Jackson Sivills 12. Among the locals, Max Schmit contributed 9 on perfect shooting. A late technical on Raphael Felix Kemmer arrived as Mamer sealed the result.
Mamer stop a three-game skid and take a tight one at home. Coach Darko Ristic's side found solutions after the break; Antonio Jose Lopez Pena's team started fast but couldn't hold the lead.
(AI generated)