SKT Ieper is on a roll in Top Division Men One. The team of coach Frederik Geldof took the big win in De Treffer last weekend and takes up the second spot in de standings, just behind Falco Gent.
It was a much anticipated West-Flemish battle this past weekend in Sporthal De Treffer. Both Waregem and SKT Ieper came in with 8-2 records, so something had to give.
The first quarter turned out to be tense and defensive minded. Noah Gebbert opened things up for Waregem with a triple, but Ieper only managed to answer after 3 minutes. Waregem relied on Mathieu Coucke to finish the first quarter 16-13.
Both teams picked up the pace a little bit in the second Q. Waregem brought in Oostende-product Corentin Efono, but Ieper has an Oostende prospect of their own in Matteo Verstraete. Matthijs Van Den Eynde gave Waregem a 27-21 lead and they went into halftime up 39-31.
After the break, Ieper turned things around. Multiple triples by Belgian Lion Matteo Verstraete and inside work of Dutch big man Jesse Waleson gave SKT the lead: 57-63 after 3 quarters.
In the last 10 minutes, we got run and gun basketball on both sides. Waregem fought their way back to 68-69, but Thomas Mertens and Verstraete tripled their way to 73-85. A lead Ieper would't give away anymore.
Big win for Ieper on the road has them jumping into second place with a 9-2 record. Waregem falls to third place with an 8-3 record.
Top Performers
Waregem
Mathieu Coucke: 26 points (4/9 3P), 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 6 steals
Simon Gesquière: 18 points (4/6 3P), 4 rebounds, 2 steals
Corentin Efono: 16 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists
Ieper
Matteo Verstraete: 25 points (5/9 3P), 2 rebounds, 2 assists
Jesse Waleson: 23 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block
Sam Lambrecht: 12 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists
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