Arantia Larochette, 6th in the phase finale, answered after the 68-103 defeat in the first meeting and beat 4th-ranked Musel Pikes 97-88 in Larochette, ending a six-game losing streak. Musel are now on four straight losses.
The game changed direction twice. Arantia started well and led 17-9, even after an early technical foul to coach Karolis Abramavicius, but Musel closed the first quarter with a 17-5 run to go in front 26-22. In the second, the Pikes built their biggest lead at 42-34 behind Omar Youssef Essid (Season PPG: 15.53) and Jules Jacquet (Season PPG: 16.05), who gave them steady scoring. Arantia stayed in contact at 43-47 at halftime.
The decisive sequence came just after the break. Musel moved to 51-43, then Arantia answered with nine unanswered points to retake the lead. Later, from 57-57, the home side produced a 14-4 burst to 71-61 and took control. Mathis Dieterlen, a 17-year-old French guard, drove that phase and finished with 36 points, including 6 three-pointers, matching his season high. Lee Brosius (Season PPG: 26.29) added 20, 16-year-old 1.98m center Lars Bosdijk (Season PPG: 11.75) scored 13, and Vincent Diderrich (Season PPG: 4.25) contributed 11, his season best.
Arantia stretched the margin to 92-72 in the fourth quarter before Musel answered with a late 16-5 run. For the visitors, Youssef Essid scored 30, Jacquet added 23 despite four fouls, and Abram Macalou (Season PPG: 24.79) had 18. The third quarter, won 28-16 by Arantia, was the key passage.
(AI generated)