BC Mess won 98-92 at Sparta Bertrange in a high-scoring Phase finale game and ended Sparta's 15-game winning streak. Mess now have four straight wins, and this was their first success in four meetings this season after three Sparta victories.
Sparta, coached by Yann Ewert, controlled the first quarter. Bora Oner hit back-to-back threes, Rafael Ferreira was active early, and Petar Kulisic (Season PPG: 27.33) helped build a 27-15 lead, the hosts' biggest advantage. The game changed in the second period. BC Mess, led by coach Fernand Musquar, came back from 32-19 down and finished the half on a 29-12 run to move in front 48-44. Fabio Freymann (Season PPG: 20.47), Noa Priso Dikoume (Season PPG: 14.82) and Nils Muller (Season PPG: 18.94) drove that swing.
The third quarter remained close. Sparta got back level at 66-66 and later 72-72, with Anton Mercier (Season PPG: 14.38) and Alexander Möller (Season PPG: 13.81) keeping the scoring pressure on. Early in the fourth, Sparta moved ahead 82-76, but Mess replied with a 13-4 sequence to regain control at 89-86. After Kulisic cut it to 90-91, Mess closed with a 7-2 finish.
Freymann and Kulisic shared game-high scoring with 29 points each. Priso Dikoume, the 13-year-old French captain, added 27, Muller 23 and Louis Clemes (Season PPG: 11.24) 14 for Mess. Sparta also had 20 from Mercier, 15 from Möller, 13 from Ferreira and 8 from Oner. Kulisic fouled out late, which mattered in the final minutes.
In the updated standings, Sparta remain first at 6-1, while Mess stay third at 5-2.
(AI generated)