BC Mess controlled in Reuler, beating North Fox 81-70 after building a decisive cushion early and withstanding a late surge. Stéphane Frentzel's team opened 0-9 on three straight triples (Bernardo Matos Pinto, Cobie Barnes, Zinedine Gauthier), forcing an immediate timeout from Raphaël Alain Ansion. Mess closed the first quarter up 14-25 and blew the game open in the second with a 17-0 run from 16-27 to 16-44, sparked by Barnes and Gauthier. An unsportsmanlike foul on Matos Pinto in Q2 did not slow their momentum. The largest gap came at 22-52 in the third (+30).
North Fox showed character late: Tom Uding strung 7 consecutive points to start the fourth, and Charel Linden added 11 in the final minutes, trimming the deficit to 11. But late free throws from Barnes and Gauthier kept Mess clear.
Shooting told the story: Mess hit 52% on 2s (good) and 17/23 at the line (74%), while North Fox struggled at 3/23 from deep (13%) and 11/22 on free throws (50%). Mess also won the glass 40-33.
Among the imports, Barnes (36 pts, 9/13 FT, 12/20 2P; 25 years, 1.95m, USA) was dominant and earned game MVP. Deanthony McCallum (Season PPG: 25.00, RPG: 4.83, AssPG: 5.22) added 16 and was perfect at the line (4/4, excellent) before fouling out in the fourth, while Gauthier (15) hit key midrange shots and late free throws. From the homegrown core, North Fox leaned on Linden (27 pts; Season PPG: 16.46, RPG: 5.94, AssPG: 3.59) and Loïc Jacoby (12, 6/8 2P), with Jona Hanf (11; 2.04m, 22) steady inside and Uding contributing 11. Matos Pinto (12; 24 years, 1.88m, PRT) buried four threes for Mess.
Context matters in Nationale 2: Mess fielded two professionals while North Fox had none. In the table, Mess climb to 4th (8-5, +2) and have now won two straight, sweeping the season series so far (100-78 away, 81-70 away). North Fox remain 9th at 1-12.
(AI generated)