No problems for Kangaroos Mechelen against red lantern Brussels. The Maneblussers were in control throughout the game. From 20-14 it went to a 41-35 bonus halfway. Brian Fobbs (20 points, 8 rebounds), DeAndre Davis (22 points, 7 rebounds) and Wen Mukubu (10 points, 5 rebounds) pressed the accelerator in the third slide and from 61-50 it went to a deserved Mechelen victory : 85-71. Immediately the seventh consecutive victory for Kangoeroes Mechelen and coach Kristof Michiels. With 7 out of 9, the people from Mechelen are in the lead with Ostend. On Boxing Day (Monday 26 December 3 pm COREtec Dôme) there is the highlight on the coast between Ostend and Kangaroos Mechelen. Ostend, which had the lead for almost the entire match (half-time: 37-42 and 52-63), crawled through the eye of the needle in money-time. Okapi Aalst came through Sieben Ledegen (17) and Jordan Walker (24): 80-80. Alex Barcello scored for the coast team at the buzzer the 80-82.
Alex Barcello scored at the buzzer for Ostend that won 80-82 in Aalst. — © VDB
Antwerp Giants won after a 28-35 score halfway with clear 59-74 numbers in Leuven Bears. Spencer Butterfield (11 points), Royce Hamm (12 points) and Reggie Upshaw (12 points) were the strongholds of a collectively strong Antwerp Giants. With 4 out of 8 and two more make-up games on the counter, the Sinjoren are back on track for Elite Gold and the top-5. Limburg United, still without Maxime De Zeeuw (single), suffered another defeat in the Mons Arena and versus Bergen. Charles Moore (20 points, 9 assists) took the Hainaut team in tow. From 20-13 it went to a 46-36 bonus halfway. The third quarter was for Limburg United. The double-double unpacking Jonas Delalieux (22 points, 10 rebounds) and Alex Stein (33 points) guided the Limburgers to a 63-58 standings. However, Bergen was outstanding in the final quarter and via Zaccharie Mortant (17 points) and Keith Braxton (13 points) went to a 98-87 victory.Bergen now counts, just like Limburg United, 5 out of 9, so that both teams sparkle in a shared fifth place.
Player Brieuc Lemaire has to coach at Liège
At Liège, the American coach Brad Greenberg, his Israeli assistant Daniel Gutt and the two American players AJ John and Anthony Cambo were not yet eligible to play. In addition to those four, the Mickael Sports Group, the American company that had taken over Liège earlier this week and thus saved it financially, still had a few players (Angel Rodriguez/Puerto Rico and Jamelle Haggins/America) in the stands. They will be announced next week at Liège. In the match against Charleroi, player Brieuc Lemaire took over the coaching. Via Niels Van Den Eynde (17 points) and Nick Dragan (12 points) it went after 19-15 to a 37-38 halfway score. Also in the third quarter, Liège continued to struggle hard against Charleroi and a stunt victory was still in order at the start of the final quarter: 55-52. In the final slide, the Spirous still put things in order. Among others, Marlon Makwa with 25 points and Nathan Kuta (19 points, 14 rebounds), who scored a double-double, propelled Charleroi to a 69-74 victory. Liège remains penultimate with 2 out of 9, Charleroi advances to third place with 6 out of 10.
Player Brieuc Lemaire had to coach at Liège! — © Gregory Van Gansen
Kangaroos Mechelen-Brussels 85-71
Quartz: 20-14, 21-21, 20-15, 24-21
Kangaroos Mechelen: Davis 22, Fobbs 20, Mukubu 10, Aririguzoh 12, Loubry 9, Mennes 6, Van Buggenhout 0, Palinckx 10, Thomas 2, Tshimanga 0
Brussels: Zylka 16, Hazard 5, Grave 7, Llorente 3, Proleta 2, Gutenius 14, Derover 17, Camp 4, Pipiras 3, Thsibangu
Bergen-Limburg United 98-87
Quartz: 20-13, 26-23, 17-22, 35-29
Bergen: Zubac 6, Gavrilovic 9, Moore 20, Mintogo 13, Braxton 13, Vrabac 18, Mortant 17, Harris 2, Neri 0,
Limburg United: Delalieux 22, Stein 33, Desiron 9, Cale 3, Dammen 4, Lambot 7, Dedroog 7, Ceyssens 0, Lesuisse 9
Liege-Charleroi 69-74
Quartz: 19-15, 18-23, 18-14, 14-22
Shutter: Depuydt 11, Fifolt 5, Van Den Eynde 17, Noterman 9, Bogaerts 10, Dragan 12, Lemaire 3, Bruwier 2, Potier
Charleroi: Kuta 19, Makwa 25, M. Samardzic 13, Prepelic 2, Jackson 6, Libert 2, Schoepen 0, Lisboa 2, Fogang 2, Izaw Bolavi 3 Okapi Aalst-Ostend 80-82
Quartz: 21-19, 16-23, 19-21, 24-19
Okapi Aalst: Maras 12, Ledegen 17, Walker 24, Popovic 14, Joren Vermoesen 2, Joeri Vermoesen 2, Schauvlieger 9
Ostend: Bleijenbergh 13, Gillet 8, van der Vuurst 9, Tyree 19, Bratanovic 12, Buysse 11, Thurman 1, Barcello 9, Buysschaert 0, Troisfontaines 0
Leuven Bears-Telenet Giants Antwerp 59-74
Quartz: 6-16, 22-19, 13-25, 18-14
Leuven Bears: Heath 2, Pritzl 0, Allen 24 , Fulkerson 4, T. Nunes 7, Bucumi 2, Vanderhaegen 4, McGlynn 8, Kherrazi 0, Stilmant 2, Snyers 0, R. Nunes 0
Telenet Giants Antwerp: Anderson 6, Smout 0, Hamm 12, Bradford 7, D’Espallier 2, De Ridder 9, Rogiers 9, Butterfield 11, Mwema 6, Upshaw 12
