Bascharage Hedgehogs took a close 75-71 road win at Nitia Bettembourg in the M-Nationale 2 relegation group, a result that lifted BAS to 1st place (+3) and dropped NIT to 2nd (-1), with both teams now at 4-1. It was also Bascharage's fourth straight win, while Bettembourg's four-game winning streak ended. BAS is now 3-0 against NIT this season.
The game started one-sided. Bascharage opened 10-0 and built a 26-10 advantage before the end of the first quarter, their highest lead of the night. Veljko Dragasevic and Aziz Ndiaye established the early control. NIT answered well in the second period, winning it 27-18. Daniel Prior Torralba and El Hadji Modou Thiam Diop triggered the comeback, and the home side was back within 40-44 at halftime.
The third quarter stayed balanced. Cameron Brooks-Harris (Season PPG: 24.50, RPG: 12.88, AssPG: 3.25) gave NIT its first lead at 47-46, but Dragasevic (Season PPG: 16.58, RPG: 5.32, AssPG: 6.21) kept BAS in front, 57-55 after 30 minutes.
The key swing came late. Down 60-57, Bettembourg produced a 12-0 run to move ahead 69-60, with Brooks-Harris, Wesley Almeida and Chris Leclerc active, then captain Christopher Teck stretched it to 71-69. Bascharage responded with 6 unanswered points to take the game: Fabien Vandler tied it, Deni Sabotic hit the go-ahead three for 72-71, and Dragasevic finished the decisive sequence. Teck fouled out in the closing phase.
Brooks-Harris, the game MVP, filled the stat sheet with 18 points, 15 rebounds, 8 assists, 4 steals and 4 blocks. Thiam Diop (Season PPG: 8.65, RPG: 7.86, AssPG: 1.69) added 15 points. For BAS, Dragasevic had 23 points and 11 rebounds, while Ndiaye (29, 2.03m, SEN) posted 16 points and 16 rebounds.
NIT was more efficient offensively, with good 75% free-throw shooting and good 59% from 2-point range. BAS shot only 55% on free throws and 41% on 2-pointers, but controlled the extra possessions with a major 19-4 edge in offensive rebounds.
(AI generated)