AS Soleuvre beat BC Mess 90-80 in a game that swung several times before the visitors closed it out late.
Mess controlled the first quarter 27-16, sparked by Cobie Logan Barnes (25, 1.95m, USA), who hit four early triples and strung together seven straight points to break a 6-6 tie. Coach Eric Bettini's side flipped the script in the second: behind Christian Jeffrey Parker and Felix Whitcomb Kloman, Soleuvre authored a 24-8 stretch from 29-16 to lead 40-37 at the half. The third was back-and-forth with ties at 42, 47 and 57; Soleuvre edged into the fourth up 65-64.
Mess briefly regained control at 68-65 after buckets by Deanthony Kendrick McCallum and Leis Sabotic, but Parker answered with a series of twos. Barnes' ninth three put Mess ahead 76-75, only for Soleuvre to finish on a decisive 15-4 run. Key moments: an unsportsmanlike foul on Pedrito Kemevuako at 78-84 yielded two Gilles Weis free throws, and McCallum an important scorer had already fouled out in the fourth.
Numbers framed the outcome. Soleuvre shot a good 62% on 2s (31/50), while Mess managed 44% (19/43). Mess' perimeter was a strength (38% 3P), but Soleuvre's defense produced 10 steals and a 19-9 turnover edge. At the line, Mess was good (75%), Soleuvre at 70%.
Individual standouts: Parker (Season PPG: 23.94, RPG: 13.56, AssPG: 2.06) delivered 31 points on 14/20 2P with 14 rebounds for a double-double and MVP honors, and Kloman (Season PPG: 30.87, RPG: 6.20, AssPG: 2.60) added 30 with four threes. Among the locals, Raphaël Peffer contributed 8 and late free throws; Weis added 5 and drew fouls in crunch time. For Mess, Barnes erupted for 38 with nine triples and 11 rebounds (double-double), while McCallum (Season PPG: 24.93, RPG: 4.90, AssPG: 5.55) scored 22 before fouling out. From the homegrown ranks, Pedrito Kemevuako (10) and Sabotic (6) provided support. Coach Stéphane Frentzel's team couldn't overcome the late turnover gap.
(AI generated)