CFBB U18 won 85-66 at BC Mess in the M-Nationale 2 relegation round and moved up three places to 1st, while Mess slipped to 3rd. The game was balanced for three quarters before a very one-sided finish.
Mess were under pressure early. U18 opened 12-1 and also profited from Deanthony Kendrick McCallum's two quick fouls, but the home side recovered well. The 27-year-old 1.90m American answered with a strong first quarter finish and cut the gap to 17-19. Stéphane Frentzel's team then stayed in contact all through the second period, tied at 31-31 and went into halftime ahead 38-37. Mess still controlled the game late in the third, reaching 47-40 and leading 50-46 after 30 minutes.
The decisive moment came immediately in the fourth. An unsportsmanlike foul by Advasio Junior Manuel was followed by a 6-0 U18 run, then Abram Macalou and Sarunas Sulcas kept the pressure high. Denis Toroman's team turned 59-61 into 66-85, closing the game on a 26-7 stretch and finishing with a huge 39-point last quarter. U18 also ended the season series 2-1 after losing the first meeting.
Macalou (Season PPG: 12.17) was outstanding with 31 points, matching his season high, and Sulcas (Season PPG: 9.71) added 22. They combined for 53 of U18's 85 points. Support came from Mathis Dieterlen (Season PPG: 6.84) with 8, Ewan Da Silva Jose with 7 and Lee Brosius (Season PPG: 11.63) with 7.
For Mess, McCallum (Season PPG: 25.30) carried the offense with 31 points, including 21 in the first half. Captain Fabbri Bruno Zinédine Gauthier (Season PPG: 8.17) added 12 and Bernardo Matos Pinto (Season PPG: 8.00) scored 9, but U18's late pace and scoring runs changed the game completely.
(AI generated)