PFYM takes first place at ANGT Varese, books ticket for ANGT Finals

The two-time continental champion held NGV scoreless for more than 9 minutes in the third quarter and reeled off 19 straight points to take control of the game. Aurele Brena-Chemille led PFYM with 14 points while Noah Penda came off the bench for 13 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals, Melvin Ajinca had 12 points and 7 rebounds and Wilson Jacques added 6 points and 11 rebounds. Zacharie Perrin was the leading scorer for NGV with 11 points to go with 7 rebounds and David Gomez scored 10 points in the loss.

PFYM went to Brena-Chemille early on with two layups among 5 points for a 2-5 lead. The rest of the team struggled to find their range while Gomez knocked down 2 three-pointers and NGV was up 8-5. After Brena-Chemille added a steal and dunk, Stellan Rajaofera scored twice at the other end to put NGV up 12-7. It took more than 8 minutes for someone other than Brena-Chemille to score with Mael Hamon Crespin’s steal and dunk after PFYM had made just 3 of 16 shots. Jacques also hit for the French side but Gomez’s layup had the selection team up 18-11 after 10 minutes.

NGV failed to score on its first three possessions of the second quarter and Penda’s dunk cut the deficit to 18-15. The PFYM scoring difficulties came back and NGV moved ahead 23-15. Perrin’s three-point play made it 28-19. Penda came up with a three-point play for PFYM but NGV kept coming and Perrin’s layin made it a double-digit game, 33-23. PFYM had missed its first six three-pointers, but Ajinca and Alexandre Bouzidi hit from deep and the score was 33-31 at the break.

Gomez scored the first basket of the second half on the team’s first possession, but PFYM turned up its defense. NGV failed to score for the final 9:23 minutes of the third quarter, missing 4 two-pointers, 4 three-pointers and 6 free throws while committing 8 turnovers. Brena-Chemille and Penda combined for 10 points in a 0-19 run to pull ahead 35-50 after 30 minutes.

Ajinca opened the fourth quarter with a score and Ege Tan Yildizoglu finally scored again for NGV – snapping an 11:04-minute scoreless drought. PFYM was not ready to give up the game and scored another 14 straight points in the final frame to decide the game for good.