AS Soleuvre edged Black Star Mersch 83-76 in Mersch, splitting the season series after BSM had won the first meeting 98-89. The game swung on the middle quarters and a late response under coach Eric Bettini.
BSM started 2-0 but Parker (23, USA) imposed himself early and then strung together seven straight points to open the second quarter, pushing SOL to 14-23. BSM reacted before halftime behind Donte Bezel Pope (Season PPG: 32.79) and Kevin Sarlette (Season PPG: 9.69): Sarlette buried two triples in the period and Jérôme Besenius added a three as Black Star briefly led 36-35, but SOL nudged back ahead 43-41 at the break.
The third quarter was decisive. SOL's mix of power and perimeter Parker inside, Felix Whitcomb Kloman (Season PPG: 29.81) and Mathys Ntemo (Season PPG: 3.53) from deep built a 57-68 cushion. Early in the fourth, Ntemo scored again for +13 (57-70), the night's largest lead. Coach Goran Lukic's side still made it a close finish: a 10-3 surge with buckets from Romain Dieterlen and Pope brought it to 73-75. Sandro Sana Sanches answered with a dagger three (73-78), Ntemo added a vital basket (74-80), and Parker closed it at 76-83.
Top performers
- Soleuvre non-domestic: Christian Jeffrey Parker 33 points (Season PPG: 24.47), Kloman 14, Sanches 12.
- Soleuvre domestic: Ntemo 15, Gilles Weis 6, and Lex Lahure (17) hit a second-quarter three.
- Black Star non-domestic: Pope 26.
- Black Star domestic: Dean Gindt (2.01m, 34) 13, Sarlette 13, Desean Hampton 12 before fouling out in the fourth, a factor in the final minutes.
In the table, SOL sit 3rd while BSM remain 6th. For form, Black Star slip to a three-game losing streak. Game evolution and shot-making in crunch time made the difference; Parker was the closer, with Sanches and Ntemo delivering the winning blows.
(AI generated)