Second-placed AS Soleuvre won a close phase finale game at the home of first-placed Musel Pikes, 82-73, and kept the table tight. Musel stayed first at 8-1, while Soleuvre improved to 7-2, one classification point behind. Soleuvre also stretched its winning run to five games, while Musel's long winning streak was stopped.
Musel controlled the first half. Daniel Fernandes Sousa's team led 20-12 after the opening quarter and reached its biggest advantage at 25-14 early in the second. Raphaël Siebenaler (Season PPG: 17.79) and Jaden El Basri (15, FRA, Season PPG: 18.33) set the tone, and Musel still had a 36-31 lead at the break.
The game turned in the third quarter. Soleuvre gradually erased the gap, first tying at 39-39, then producing a decisive 10-3 spell from 43-47 to 53-51, with Lou Lahure (Season PPG: 3.71) and captain Nik Lahure (Season PPG: 26.26) driving the comeback. AS Soleuvre entered the last quarter ahead 57-56.
Musel still had one strong response. Siebenaler scored 7 points in a row in the fourth quarter to bring his team back from 60-67 to 67-67. That was the key moment of resistance, but Olivier Haan's side answered immediately with 9 unanswered points, moving from 67-67 to 76-67 through Max Kunen, Timéo Weber and Samuel Carvalho Ribeiro. From there, Soleuvre stayed in control.
For Musel, Siebenaler finished with 24 points before fouling out, El Basri added 18, Marvin Contreras (Season PPG: 13.41) scored 13 and Jason Kemmer (Season PPG: 14.14) had 12. For Soleuvre, Nik Lahure scored 19 before fouling out, Nils Krantz (Season PPG: 7.13) added 16, Kunen 11, Lou Lahure 10 and Evan Leal de Oliveira (Season PPG: 4.73) 8.
(AI generated)