Budivelnik claimed a share of first place in Last 16 Group J on Tuesday by holding off Le Mans for a 67-61 home win. Billy Keys recorded 16 points and 10 rebounds to lead the winners, who improved to 2-1 at the midway point of the Last 16. Zach Morley scored all of his 14 points in the first half to help Budivelnik take a 31-27 lead at the break. The lead slowly grew to double figures in the third quarter and the hosts managed to hold off Le Mans comeback efforts in the closing minutes. Lamayne Wilson added 12 points for Budivelnik, who travel to Le Mans for a rematch in two weeks. J.P. Batista paced Le Mans with 17 points, Ben Dewar added 14 and Alex Acker 13. Le Mans’s biggest problem came from the perimeter, with the team making just 4 of 20 three-point attempts. Le Mans is now 1-2, but has just one win fewer than the Group’s co-leaders and plays its next two games at home.

The game was close early with the teams trading baskets in the opening minutes before a basket-plus-foul from Dewar son followed by a pair of free throws by the same player put Le Mans up 5-9. Budivelnik quickly tied the score and went ahead on a Keys three-pointer. Michalis Kaiouzis scored 4 in a row for Le Mans before Morley put Budivelnik up 16-13 after 10 minutes. Denys Lukshov put the hosts up 5 at the start of the second quarter and the hosts upped the lead to 25-17 later on a Denis Ikovlev triple. A Kakiouzis triple showed Le Mans was not going away, though Morley kept Budivelnik firmly in control. Acker stepped up with 5 straight points to cut the deficit to 29-27. Morley’s 14th points of the half gave the hosts a 31-27 cushion before halftime.

Batista went to work inside and kept the visitors within 4 points midway through the third quarter. Budivelnik made its move with a Dmytro Zabirchenko three-pointer followed by a Michailis Anisimov score to lift the hosts’ lead to 45-35. Le Mans next comeback attempts were met by Wilson and Keys three-pointer as the lead grew to 51-39. Kakiouzis from the line and an Anisimov free throw made it 52-41 at the end of the quarter. Dewar struck first from downtown after a slow start to the fourth quarter, however Wilson and Anisimov kept the home team ahead by 10 and then a Keys triple was a dagger. Batista and Dewar continued to pressure and cut the deficit to 59-51. Dewar started to worry Budivelnik when he made it 61-55, but Keys came to the rescue again with a three-pointer with two minutes remaining and the hosts held off Le Mans after that to register a crucial win.