AB Contern edged Musel Pikes 81-78 in a tight qualification-round game at Contern/Central, sealing it with Joshua Armani Ferguson's final free throw. The visitors opened with authority: boosted by Tristin Matthew Walley's early triples, Musel raced to 8-18 and took the first quarter 22-27, their largest lead (+10). Contern answered with a 26-15 second quarter, finding rhythm through Ferguson inside and the perimeter of Landon Andrew Lowder and Mathieu Arendt, to lead 48-42 at the break.
Contern pushed the gap to +11 at 62-51 after Olivier Summer's five quick points (including a three), but Musel clawed back via Sam Streef and Konan Boglin Oth to 68-65 after three. The last period swung again: Okundaye and Oth put Musel ahead 68-71, before Contern replied with a pivotal 12-2 run. Arendt's three tied it, Ferguson dominated the paint with successive baskets, and Jeffrey Nicolas Jamal Schumacher added two for 80-73. In the final minute, Walley and Okundaye hit four straight free throws, aided by a bench technical on coach Anthony Franck Tomba, to close to 80-78, but Ferguson split at the line for the winning point.
Team stats underline the story: Contern shot 54% on twos (good) but only 25% from three and 58% at the line. Musel were outstanding at the stripe (23/25, 92%) yet struggled from the field (39% 2P, 28% 3P). Rebounds and turnovers were level (31 and 12 each).
Top performers
- Contern: Ferguson (17 pts, double-double impact; Season PPG: 19.0, RPG: 12.44), Lowder (15; Season PPG: 23.4, RPG: 4.0, AssPG: 3.63). Among locals, Arendt added 14, Summer 9 and Schumacher 8.
- Musel: Walley led with 22 (Season PPG: 17.23, RPG: 10.58), Oth had 16 (Season PPG: 12.92, RPG: 6.95), Streef 11 and Okundaye 10. Maurice Gordon (11; Season PPG: 13.67) picked up two quick first-quarter fouls and later fouled out in the closing minutes.
Under coach Brian Walker Carroll, the Pikes' slide continues; Contern stop a long skid with a hard-nosed fourth-quarter response.
(AI generated)