Kordall Steelers edged Zesummen Aktiv 44-41 in a tight Phase finale game, a result that pushed KDS up to 6th place (+2) and left ZAK 7th (+2).
KDS opened better and took the first quarter 11-6. Anderson Borbon's team then built the biggest lead of the night at 16-6 early in the second period, before ZAK reacted strongly. Angelo Monteiro's side answered with a 10-0 run to level at 16-16, then briefly moved in front 21-19. The teams were still tied 23-23 at halftime.
The third quarter was another turning point. After ZAK went ahead 25-23, KDS responded with a 7-0 burst through Tomas Cerqueira Santos (Season PPG: 9.23) and Maylon Ramos Monteiro (Season PPG: 6.77), moving to 30-25. KDS won that quarter 10-6 and carried a 33-29 edge into the last period.
ZAK kept the pressure on and cut the gap to 42-40 late in the fourth. The decisive sequence came from Ramos Monteiro, who made two free throws for 44-40. ZAK got one back through Yann Shi, but KDS held on in the closing seconds.
Ramos Monteiro was the game's top scorer with 16 points for KDS, while Mickael Pereira Briga (Season PPG: 9.50) added 13 despite early foul trouble with 3 fouls already by the second quarter. Cerqueira Santos scored 7, and 17-year-old Portuguese player Diego Ricardo Miranda Lima (Season PPG: 4.38) added 5. Mouhammadou Moustapha Ndiaye (Season PPG: 2.80) hit an important fourth-quarter three.
For ZAK, Nathaniel Guth led with 10 points, Thomas Garin had 6, and the scoring was more spread out with eight other players contributing. ZAK also had several key players in foul trouble, with Jeff Braun and Jim Braun both reaching 4 fouls. KDS stopped a two-game losing run, while ZAK's losing streak extended further.
(AI generated)