AB InBev Leuven Bears

⭐ Player of the Game: Pierre-Antoine Gillet — 13 PTS, 10 REB, 1 AST, 2 STL. Coretec Oostende take it, 66–54.

Coretec Oostende held off a back-and-forth contest to beat AB InBev Leuven Bears 66–54, a 12-point margin that masks how close things stayed for most of the afternoon. The teams traded leads seven times and were level on five occasions, but a decisive fourth-quarter run from Oostende — a 15-0 burst that pushed the score from 49–52 to 64–52 midway through — finally broke the tie. AB InBev Leuven Bears opened strong, winning the first quarter 21–16 and leading by as much as 7 early in the second (31–24 with 5:15 left). Oostende clawed back, outscoring them 15–12 in that quarter to trail 31–33 at the half. The third was even, 18–18, leaving Leuven ahead 51–49 with a quarter to play. But Oostende dominated the fourth 17–3, controlling the final stretch with their largest lead at 64–52 with 2:48 remaining. Roel Bucumi led Leuven with 20 points on 7-of-13 shooting, but his teammates couldn't find rhythm when it mattered — the team as a whole mustered only 3 points in the fourth quarter. For Oostende, Pierre-Antoine Gillet was the steadying force: 13 points and 10 rebounds (double-double) on efficient 4-of-6 shooting, while AJ Clayton added 14 on 6-of-11 from the field. Gillet's 3-of-4 from three kept the floor open when the pace slowed. The loss ends a two-game winning streak for Leuven, dropping them to 3–2. Oostende improve to 3–2 and host Windrose Giants Antwerp on Sunday. Leuven travel to Heroes Den Bosch the same day.

Sebastian Thomas has turned into something different in recent weeks. The AB InBev Leuven Bears' guard is posting 21.8 points and 4.4 assists per game with a 57.8 TIB Efficiency rating — numbers that put him among the league's most dangerous playmakers right now. Coretec Oostende will have their hands full keeping him contained. Konstantin Kostadinov has been solid for the visitors, holding a 37.4 rating with 10.9 points and 1 assist per game in current form, but the workload on him to limit Thomas's impact while staying involved offensively could define how this one plays out. Thomas's ball-handling and scoring touch have been the engine behind Leuven's recent stretch. If Oostende can't find a way to disrupt his rhythm early, the Bears' depth and spacing should pull away as the game wears on. Conversely, if Kostadinov and Oostende's guards can force the pace and get into transition, they might catch Leuven in a vulnerable defensive transition. Tip-off in three hours. Stream it live and catch the two best individual talents on the floor tonight.

Sebastian Thomas carried AB InBev Leuven Bears to a 67–64 home win over ZZ Leiden, posting 26 points, 8 rebounds and 2 steals across 35 minutes. He shot 11 of 21 from the field and 2 of 4 at the free-throw line, adding a pair of three-pointers in a performance anchored by volume and efficiency down the stretch. The margin was razor-thin. Leiden pressed through the second half and had every chance to steal it, but Thomas's mid-range game and willingness to operate off the glass gave Leuven enough separation in the final minutes. He did not force the issue—just one turnover in 35 minutes speaks to decision-making under pressure. Two steals and solid floor time without fouling out (2 fouls) rounded out a workmanlike night. This is the kind of individual performance that wins tight league games: not flashy, but sound.

AB InBev Leuven Bears survived a late scare to edge ZZ Leiden 67–64, holding on through a chess match that swung back and forth six times before settling on a three-point margin. The sides were locked level at 11–11 after one quarter and remained tied at 25–25 at half-time, but Leiden seized control early in the third, leading by as many as eight midway through the frame. That advantage lasted only so long. Leuven clawed back with an 11-0 run mid-way through the fourth to flip it to a 61–54 lead with just over two minutes left, then weathered a final push that left the result in doubt until the buzzer. Sebastian Thomas carried the load for Leuven with 26 points on 11-of-21 shooting, adding 8 rebounds and 2 steals to guide his side to 3–1 in the BNXT League regular season. Roel Bucumi contributed 12 points, though he struggled from range (2-of-8 from three). For Leiden, now 2–2, Nik Graves posted 19 points and 8 rebounds on 7-of-16 shooting, while Touko Tainamo was a force on the glass with 9 rebounds in a supporting role (11 points, 5-of-9 from the field). Leuven travel to Coretec Oostende on Saturday; Leiden host Donar Groningen the same evening.

Sebastian Thomas has been the engine for AB InBev Leuven Bears in recent weeks: 20.8 points and 5 assists per game, with a 53 TIB EFF that sits well clear of the BNXT League field. Tonight, he faces a ZZ Leiden side built around Anias Futrell's steadier offensive diet — 15.7 PPG on a 43.5 rating, but a playmaking load (1 APG) that tells you Leiden's ball-moving burden falls elsewhere. The gap in those numbers is real. Thomas has been running hot. Futrell is efficient in a narrower role. That asymmetry — one player tasked with volume and creation, the other a high-percentage scorer in a structured offense — will shape how this one flows. Both clubs need a win. Tip-off is in three hours. Catch it live.

Roel Bucumi's steady hand kept AB InBev Leuven Bears upright in a three-point escape. The guard finished 15 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists on 4-of-9 shooting (3-of-5 from three) in 31 minutes, adding 4-of-4 free throws to his ledger in the 72–69 win over House of Talents Spurs Kortrijk. It was a grinding affair — the kind of regular-season fixture where clean shooting matters more than noise. Bucumi's three-point accuracy (60%) and his willingness to move the ball kept the Bears ticking over when the game tightened late. The assist-to-turnover ratio (5:2) suggested a player comfortable running the offence without forcing it, and his defensive presence added a layer of responsibility that doesn't always show in the box score. Not a dominant individual performance, but a functional one — the kind that wins close games at home.

House of Talents Spurs Kortrijk clawed back from 11 points down to nearly steal this one, but AB InBev Leuven Bears held firm in the final moments to win a tight finish, 72–69. The Bears move to 2–1 in league play; Kortrijk fall to 0–3, still winless after three straight defeats. Kortrijk came out sharp, winning the opening quarter 22–16 to build an early cushion. The Bears answered hard in the second, rattling off an 11–0 run midway through the quarter and surging to a 38–27 lead with 3:44 left in the half. That burst sent them into halftime ahead 42–35, but Kortrijk regrouped. The Spurs dominated the third quarter, outscoring Leuven 23–12 to flip the script and lead 58–54 entering the fourth. The final quarter stayed fractured throughout. Leuven pulled away in the fourth 18–11, but Kortrijk stayed within one possession until the end. Neither side could build separation; five ties and three lead changes kept the outcome uncertain until the final buzzer. Bine Prepelic led the Bears with 17 points on efficient 7–8 shooting, adding 9 rebounds. Roel Bucumi chipped in 15 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists on 4–9 from the floor, while Sebastian Thomas orchestrated from the backcourt with 14 points and 8 assists despite rough 5–16 shooting. Amin Adamu paced Kortrijk's comeback with 15 points, though his 4–12 accuracy limited his impact. Bram Bogaerts was sharper, 5–7 from the field for 11 points. Leuven host ZZ Leiden on Saturday; Kortrijk travel to face Hubo Limburg United on Friday.

Sebastian Thomas has taken over the Leuven Bears' offence in recent weeks, averaging 23 points and 4 assists on a 61 TIB Efficiency rating. Against him tonight stands Anthony James Smith Jr, whose 43.5 rating and 13-point average suggest Kortrijk will need more than one man to contain what Thomas has been building. The gap in individual production tells the story: Thomas is operating at a different level right now. Leuven's attacking shape has run through him, and Kortrijk's defence will spend much of the evening chasing his reads and his shot. Smith Jr is a capable operator — his playmaking at 2 assists shows he's doing more than scoring — but the burden of slowing Thomas cannot fall on his shoulders alone. This is a BNXT League contest where bench depth and defensive rotations will matter as much as the headline duel. Both clubs need to get ahead of the pick-and-roll, close out on shooters, and not foul into a rhythm. For Leuven, it's about letting Thomas run the offence without isolation overkill. For Kortrijk, it's about forcing him into difficult looks and making him uncomfortable from range. Tip-off is in roughly three hours. Watch how these two shape the game's tempo and spacing.

Sebastian Thomas carried AB InBev Leuven Bears on the road with 27 points, 8 rebounds and 3 steals across 35 minutes, but it was not enough to overcome Donar Groningen in a 78–81 defeat. Thomas shot 9 of 19 from the floor and made 6 of 10 free throws to lead the scoring, though his team's road trip ended in a three-point loss. He also turned the ball over just once and committed only 2 fouls — a controlled performance at both ends, even in a contest that slipped away. The Bears stay in the fight within the BNXT League regular season, but this kind of night — a strong individual outing swallowed by a narrow road defeat — is the razor's edge of domestic basketball. Next time out will test whether they can build on Thomas's form and close the small margins that matter most.

Donar Groningen held off a late surge from AB InBev Leuven Bears to win 81–78, a genuine three-point finish decided in the final stretch after the visitors clawed back from a 16-point hole. The game was loose and contested from the start—nine lead changes and five ties kept it in flux through the opening half. Donar built momentum in the second quarter, stringing together a 9-0 run midway through to push the lead to 38–27, and took a commanding 40–30 halftime advantage. Early in the third, Donar extended their cushion to 50–34 with 06:41 on the clock, but Leuven Bears refused to fold. The visitors outscored Groningen 23–22 in the quarter to cut it to 62–53 heading into the fourth. The final ten minutes belonged entirely to Leuven Bears. A 25-point fourth-quarter output against Donar's 19 made it a one-possession game inside the final two minutes, but Groningen found enough to close it out. Brandon Bergsma led Donar with 19 points on efficient 6/9 shooting and five made free throws. Aleksandre Merkviladze contributed 16 points and 9 rebounds. For Leuven Bears, Sebastian Thomas finished with 27 points and 8 rebounds despite 9/19 shooting, while Carl Cleveland added 25 points on a sharp 9/15 from the field. Donar host Val-Dieu Spirou Basket on Wednesday 14 October.

Jonas Visser has been the engine of AB InBev Leuven Bears' recent run, posting a 72.5 TIB efficiency rating with 20 points per game — the kind of consistency that wins close ones in the BNXT League. Kevon Godwin brings a different profile for Donar Groningen: 60.3 efficiency, 19 points and the ball in his hands at 3.5 assists per game, a playmaker as much as a scorer. What makes this matchup sharp is the gap in approach. Visser is a finisher, high-volume and direct. Godwin has to run the offense through half-court sets and find cutters; he'll be hunting rhythm on the perimeter while also managing the tempo. Leuven Bears will want Visser to attack early and often. Groningen needs Godwin's court vision to open driving lanes and spacing. Both are in form — that's what the recent numbers tell you — and tonight one of them will have tipped the balance when the final buzzer sounds. Tip-off in roughly three hours.

Sebastian Thomas is carrying AB InBev Leuven Bears at 21 points per game this season, but he'll meet a Donar Groningen side built around Aleksandre Merkviladze—who's averaging 20 PPG himself. Two prolific scorers on a collision course in the BNXT League; the question is who gets more breathing room tonight. Merkviladze and Thomas have shaped their respective teams' offensive identity. Groningen leans on that consistency from their lead man; Leuven has built around Thomas's scoring punch. Both sides know what they do best. The detail worth tracking: can the supporting casts create enough separation to let their stars operate freely, or does the defensive pressure force them into difficult nights? Tip-off is in about six hours. Watch it unfold.

Jonas Visser carved through Val-Dieu Spirou Basket's defence with surgical efficiency: 23 points on 10-of-12 shooting, 7 rebounds, 2 steals and — perhaps most telling — zero turnovers in 30 minutes. AB InBev Leuven Bears held on 69–65 at home, a four-point margin that felt slimmer than the stat sheet suggested. Visser's shooting line was the difference. He did not attempt a three-pointer and did not need one; close range, he was near-perfect, converting 3 of 3 free throws on top of his field-goal accuracy. Val-Dieu Spirou Basket fought back — the final score speaks to a genuine contest in the second half — but Leuven's interior control, anchored by Visser's quiet dominance, held firm down the stretch. One turnover-free performance does not make a season, but it sketches what an efficient role player can do when he stays within his range and lets the game come to him.

AB InBev Leuven Bears held off a late charge from Val-Dieu Spirou Basket to take a four-point win, 69–65, in a BNXT League regular-season game decided in the final minutes. Leuven controlled the first half, building a 45–32 lead by the break. They extended that advantage into the third quarter, stretching it to 15 points at 59–44 with 2:07 left in the frame. A 10-0 run midway through the third, moving the score from 47–43 to 57–43, had them firmly in command. But Spirou's second-half resistance was real: the visitors outscored Leuven 18–16 in the third and 15–8 in the fourth, clawing back to make it a one-possession game inside the final two minutes. Leuven's defence held just long enough. Jonas Visser led the hosts with 23 points on an efficient 10-of-12 shooting, adding 7 rebounds and 2 steals. Sebastian Thomas contributed 18 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists, though he struggled from distance (0-for-4 from three). For Spirou, Douglas Konieczny Jr. carried the load with 24 points on 9-of-15 shooting to go with 6 rebounds, but the offensive balance never quite materialised: Sam Hofman and Adedayo Polet managed 9 and 8 points respectively. Leuven travel to Donar Groningen on Tuesday 6 October.

Douglas Konieczny Jr. has been Val-Dieu Spirou's engine in recent weeks — 21 points per game on a 68.5 TIB efficiency rating that leads this matchup by a clear margin. Jonas Visser anchors AB InBev Leuven's attack at 17 PPG, but the efficiency gap tells you where Val-Dieu has been clicking. Konieczny Jr.'s scoring load and the way Spirou have built their offence around him stands in contrast to Visser's role: pure volume scorer for a Leuven side that leans more evenly across its rotation. That imbalance could define how this plays out — whether Leuven can contain Konieczny Jr. enough to stay in it, or whether Val-Dieu's clear form advantage runs through him early and often. Tip-off is in just over three hours. This one's worth the watch.

AB InBev Leuven Bears host Val-Dieu Spirou Basket in the BNXT League tonight, and both offences will carry genuine scoring punch. Sebastian Thomas has been the Bears' engine this season at 24 points per game, while Douglas Konieczny Jr. brings a similar weight for Spirou at 21 PPG — two guards capable of dictating tempo and spacing that will test both defences. The intrigue here centres on which team's role players step up. Thomas and Konieczny Jr. will draw the primary defenders; whoever converts the secondary scoring opportunities — the cutters, the corner threes, the pick-and-roll helpers — tends to control the flow in these matchups. Leuven's home court usually counts for something in these domestic fixtures. Tip-off is in about six hours. Worth your evening if you follow Belgian club basketball.

Andrej Cuyvers carried BC Guco Lier's attack with 32 points, 6 rebounds and 3 steals, but it was not enough to overcome a 17-point loss at home to AB InBev Leuven Bears in the 1/16 Finals of the Beker van België. Cuyvers shot 12-of-24 from the floor and a perfect 5-of-5 from the line, though he managed only 3-of-10 from three and turned the ball over seven times. His individual showing — the game's highest scorer — could not lift Guco past an organised Leuven defence that controlled the second half. The final scoreline of 86–69 reflected a gulf that widened as the game wore on. The loss ends BC Guco Lier's run in the Belgian cup competition. Despite Cuyvers 36-minute effort, the Lier side fell short when it mattered most.

AB InBev Leuven Bears' fourth-quarter stranglehold ended BC Guco Lier's run in the Beker van België. A back-and-forth first half—11 lead changes, 6 ties—saw Lier briefly up nine with 1:49 left in the second quarter, but Leuven clawed back with a composed 10-0 run midway through Q2 to reach halftime level at 43–44. The third quarter stayed tight (59–62 after three), but Leuven's defense tightened in the fourth: they outscored Lier 24–10 to run away to a 17-point win. Sebastian Thomas ran the Leuven offense, finishing 24 PTS on 9/21 shooting with 5 AST, while Jonas Visser anchored the glass with a double-double of 17 PTS and 11 REB (8/13 FG). Tim Waerniers chipped in 9 PTS and drilled all three of his three-point attempts off the bench. Andrej Cuyvers was Lier's lifeline—32 PTS on 12/24 shooting, 5/5 from the line—but lacked the support needed when it mattered most. Osahon Obasohan added 13 PTS but couldn't sustain a secondary offense down the stretch. Leuven's poise in the final eight minutes proved the difference. Both teams' campaigns in this cup now conclude.

BC Guco Lier and AB InBev Leuven Bears meet in the Beker van België tonight at Sporthal Stadspark. Lier's Osahon Obasohan, averaging 23 points per game this season, will be central to how the home side tries to advance. Cup ties flatten regular-season form sometimes, but both clubs will want to move through cleanly. Lier have the floor and Obasohan's scoring punch; Leuven Bears travel with the weight of a second-division opponent trying to make noise in the knock-out rounds. Tip-off is in six hours. Worth your evening if you're tracking the domestic cup.