Malik Thomas carried Partena Professional Okapi Aalst home with 26 points on a night when the shooting was loose but the free throws were automatic. He went 12-for-14 at the line — the real difference in a game that finished 95–87 — while his 6 rebounds and one steal kept him involved on both ends across 32 minutes. The picture was mixed offensively: 6-for-15 from the field, 2-for-8 from three. But Thomas stayed aggressive, and when Coretec Oostende tightened up late, his ability to get to the basket and finish from the line proved decisive. Partena needed every point in what turned out to be an eight-point margin at home. Oostende hung in longer than the final score might suggest — a disciplined contest throughout — but Aalst's steadiness down the stretch separated the two. Thomas's willingness to attack and draw contact, rather than settling for outside looks, was the structural difference. Next up for Partena: another road to navigate in the BNXT grind.