AB Contern won 86-70 away at BC Mess in the opening round of M-U16 Division 2 Phase 1 and moved into 1st place, with Mess 2nd after one game.
The game turned through Contern's stronger middle stretches. Mess started well and led 6-5, but Contern answered with a 7-0 run and then closed the first quarter on another 7-0 burst for 21-15. In the second period, coach Michael O. Ayodele's team created the first real break. After Mess had stayed within 21-28, Contern finished the half with an 18-6 push, including an 11-2 sequence, to reach 46-27.
Contern's highest lead was 27 points at 69-42 late in the third quarter. That margin came from steady scoring by Alex Wies (CON), Max Muller (CON) and Tao Tock (CON). Tock gave the visitors early control with 13 first-quarter points, Muller was on a roll with 13 in the second, and Wies kept the pressure on through the second half on his way to 27.
BC Mess did react well. Coach Fernand Musquar's side produced an 11-0 run spanning the end of the third and start of the fourth quarter, cutting 69-42 to 69-53. Roan Musquar (MES), Noa Priso Dikoume (MES), Fabio Freymann (MES) and Rafael Da Fonseca Rocha (MES) were the main drivers of that response. Mess later got as close as 13 points, but Contern answered again through Wies and Lopes Meysembourg to keep control.
Top scorers were Wies with 27, Muller 20 and Tock 17 for Contern; Musquar 17, Priso Dikoume 12, Freymann 12 and Da Fonseca Rocha 11 for Mess.
(AI generated)