AS Soleuvre, now 5th after a gain of three places, stopped a four-game losing run with a 61-60 home win over 10th-ranked US Heffingen in a game decided on the last key possession.
The first half stayed tight throughout. Heffingen went in front 6-2 early, but Soleuvre answered behind Laure Valentin (18), who scored 8 first-quarter points, and Emilie Loesch (Season PPG: 6.80), whose three-pointer pushed SOL to 16-13 before a late free throw made it 16-14. In the second quarter, Soleuvre created a small cushion at 25-21, yet Heffingen closed well through Jackie Schuler (20) and Vanessa Rausch (38) to trail only 29-28 at the break.
The biggest swing came in the third. Soleuvre opened with a 10-3 spell and reached the game's highest lead at 39-31, with Sarah Da Rocha Martins (27) and captain Daiane Tavares da Silva (Season PPG: 7.20) central in that phase. Heffingen then replied with a 12-3 run: Claire Fox Bailey (40) scored 4 straight, Schuler added 4, and the 43-year-old captain Vanessa Di Bartolomeo finished the surge to put HEF ahead 43-42 after three.
The fourth quarter was another momentum battle. Soleuvre moved back in front 48-45, but Heffingen answered with a 14-6 stretch to lead 59-54, Schuler scoring 4 in a row and Maya Cambiotti (24) adding an inside basket. Valentin then produced the decisive response: two free throws and a three-pointer for 5 straight points to tie at 59-59. Lena Hetto (33) gave Heffingen a 60-59 edge, but Da Rocha Martins finished the winner for 61-60.
Valentin led Soleuvre with 20, Tavares da Silva had 16, Loesch 11 and Da Rocha Martins 9. For Heffingen, Schuler scored 16, Rausch 12, Cambiotti 9 and Di Bartolomeo 8. Loesch fouled out late, and Bailey, after two quick first-quarter fouls, also fouled out.
(AI generated)