Musel Pikes beat AS Soleuvre 83-75 in Zolwer after controlling the middle quarters and managing Soleuvre's late push. The hosts edged the first period 16-15, despite a late 6-point burst by Jaden El Basri (15 years old, FRA; Season PPG: 18.31) that briefly flipped momentum. The game broke open in the second quarter: from 24-19 up, Soleuvre conceded a 6-20 run as Musel strung together stops and transition scores to lead 39-30 at the half.
Early in the third, Raphaël Siebenaler (Season PPG: 16.33) scored five straight and Ben Matthias Schenk (Season PPG: 20.00) kept punishing inside as the gap peaked at +16 (32-48). Soleuvre answered through captain Nik Lahure (16 years old; Season PPG: 25.36), who kept them within 10 by the end of the quarter (52-60).
The fourth stayed balanced. Marvin Contreras (Season PPG: 13.16) delivered timely points for Pikes, while Soleuvre's Lahure produced an 8-point personal run (from 67-80 to 73-80) around two bench technicals whistled on Musel coach Daniel Fernandes Sousa, trimming the deficit to seven. Pikes closed calmly, with Siebenaler and Contreras adding key buckets. Soleuvre's Yann Conan (Season PPG: 9.67) fouled out late, blunting the hosts' interior resistance.
Top performers
- Musel Pikes: Siebenaler 22, Schenk 18, Contreras 18, El Basri 16. The quartet alternated scoring streaks that shaped the decisive 6-20 second-quarter swing and the +16 cushion after the break.
- AS Soleuvre: Nik Lahure 32, Nils Krantz 10, Jean-Marc Juchem 10, Conan 8. Lahure shouldered the offense, repeatedly getting to the line and scoring in bunches.
Musel Pikes move to 4-0 and top the Phase finale table (ranking gain +1), extending their current four-game winning run. Soleuvre sit 2-2 in third (ranking gain +1), having battled from 16 down but never closer than seven in the last quarter. Coach Olivier Haan's side showed resilience; the visitors' balance made the difference.
(AI generated)