BG Goettingen came from 15 points down to edge Le Mans 75-71 Tuesday in their Last 16 Group J opener. Dwayne Anderson scored half his team’s points in a 16-2 run that bridged the third and fourth quarters that brought the Violets back and Mike Scott scored 9 of his 27 in the last 10 minutes to lead the hosts to the win. The fourth quarter was a thriller featuring four ties and three lead changes, the last of which was on a pair of Anderson free throws in the final minute. But Le Mans made just 1 of its next 4 free throws, while Trent Meacham scored a key basket and Anderson swished a pair from the line to deliver a fine start to the Last 16. Scott shot 11 for 11 on two-point tries to lead the home team. Jason Boone added 16 points, Anderson scored 15 and Meacham scored 8 and dished 10 assists. Goettingen goes on the road next week to face Budivelnik. Antoine Diot paced Le Mans with 18 points, Ben Dewar added 14 and J.P. Batista scored 12 in defeat for Le Mans, which hosts Aris BSA 2003 next week in France.

Goettingen started the way it wanted with Trent Meacham scoring off the opening tip and Scott rejecting Batista at the other end. But Le Mans regrouped quickly and took the lead on Alain Koffi’s three-point play. Diot teamed well with Alex Acker, setting the swingman up for a layup and an open triple as the visitors raced to a 2-10 advantage. Robert Kulawick hit from downtown for Goettingen, but Marc Antoine Pellin matched him as Le Mans took a double-digit lead at 5-15. A Goettingen timeout allowed head coach John Patrick to collect his troops and soon the hosts were climbing back. Antoine Jordan scored once and Scott twice to narrow the gap. An Acker slam on the offensive glass pushed Le Mans ahead by 8, but Anderson’s three and a Boone slam thanks to Meacham’s dish made it 16-19 after 10 minutes. Boone made it a 1-point game at the start of the second quarter, but Le Mans responded through Batista and Ben Dewar, who teamed on a 0-11 charge to make it 18-30. Scott ended the Goettingen drought, however Diot drilled a three to put Le Mans ahead by 15. Scott and Boone used their size to score the next 6 points, but another Diot three kept the visitors in control en route to a 32-39 halftime edge.

The duo of Scott and Boone started the second half where they left off and quickly brought Goettingen within 3. Diot rescued his team with back-to-back three-pointers to restore a double-digit lead at 38-49. Scott remained a thorn in Le Mans’s side, but Michailis Kakiouzis stepped up and even increased the lead to 42-54. Anderson countered with a pair of threes for the hosts as the hall started rocking and suddenly Goettingen was within 2. Dewar ended a Le Mans quiet spell, however Anderson got to the line to make it 54-56 heading into the deciding quarter. The nerves showed as the fourth quarter began slowly with missed shots and turnovers before John Little completed the Goettingen comeback and tied the score. Scott then put the hosts ahead for the first time since the first minute with his 20th points of the night. Diot showed Le Mans wasn’t ready to give in when he sank a three to make it 60-61. Soon Dewar hit from behind the arc to make it 62-66. Little and Scott cut the gap to a single-point before Dewar drained another clutch triple. A three-point play from Scott made it 69-70 and after Dewar missed, Andersoon got to the line and put the hosts ahead by 1. Batista split free throws, tying the score at 71-71 and Meacham raced downcourt to put Goettingen up 73-71. Pellin got to the line for 2, but missed twice and Anderson went to the line at the other end and iced the game.