MANNHEIM, Germany — Defending European Division II champion Mannheim turned back visisting SHAPE 63-57 Friday and 72-44 Saturday to become the only undefeated boys team in Division II.

“Friday night was just a great high school basketball game,” Mannheim coach John Crockett said. “SHAPE took an 8-0 lead, and we tied it, took a 15-8 lead, and we tied it, took a 26-16 lead and we tied it. From there on it was back-and-forth until the end.”

The game wasn’t iced until just 15 seconds remained, when Mannheim’s prowess from the free-throw line finally sank the Spartans.

Mannheim’s All-Europe point guard, James Meeks, made much of the difference in the late going. He was was 8-for-10 from the line and scored 30 points.

SHAPE’s Mario Stowers almost kept pace with Meeks. He scored 21 points, pulled down 11 rebounds and handed out six assists.

Meeks came back on Saturday to score 22 points, but yielded game scoring honors to Andre Nelson, who had 26 points, eight rebounds, six steals and three assists. The Bison (3-0) continued their efficiency at the free-throw line as Nelson went 8-for-11 and Meeks 8-for-12.

The losses dropped SHAPE to 2-2 in the league race. They’ll host Hanau for a pair of games this weekend; Mannheim will play Vilseck.

AFNORTH springs Boettger loose

KANDERN, Germany — AFNORTH’s Alex Boettger burned Black Forest Academy for 23 points on Friday and 35 points on Saturday as the Lions rolled 67-36 and 65-45 to improve to 3-1.

Boettger also grabbed 23 rebounds in the two outings.

Ansbach blitzes Hohenfels

ANSBACH, Germany — Jon Austin and Miles Sheppard kept Ansbach in the thick of the Division III-South race with an 83-53 road victory Friday and a 74-57 home triumph on Saturday over Hohenfels.

Austin collected 42 points and 26 rebounds in the sweep. Sheppard totaled 34 points as the Cougars improved to 5-1 overall and 2-0 in the III-South race.

Bamberg, the defending European Division III champion, leads the league race at 4-0 after a pair of 40-point mercy-rule conquests at Bad Aibling on Friday and Saturday.

Menwith Hill stays perfect

RAF ALCONBURY, England — Point guard Andre Parker took control Friday and Saturday as Menwith Hill posted 52-42 and 50-38 victories to go to 6-0 overall and 2-0 in the Division III-North race.

“Parker really controlled the game,” Alconbury coach Paul Hagen said of Friday’s game. “He ran the show and was great at penetrating the zone and kicking the ball out to the open man.”

Parker had 25 points and 13 asssist in the two games.

Heidelberg pads lead

HEIDELBERG, Germany — Heidelberg rode its four aces — Travis Wesley, Jonathan Williams, James Williams and Sam Boswell — to 71-50 and 79-52 victories over visiting International School of Brussels to take a two-and-one-half game lead in the Division I race.

Wesley scored 36 points and handed out 16 assists in the two games. Jonathan Williams posted 35 points and 21 rebounds, James Williams 22 points and Boswell 21 points and 14 rebounds as Heidelberg improved to 6-1 on the season.

Lakenheath sweeps Würzburg

RAF LAKENHEATH, England — Philip Bell’s field goal with four seconds to play provided the victory margin as the Lancers edged visiting Würzburg 47-45 Saturday to complete the sweep.

Bell also scored 20 points and had 11 rebounds in Lakenheath’s 58-54 victory on Friday.

The losses dropped Würzburg to 3-3, with all three defeats — including a one-point loss at home to Heidelberg in overtime — coming by a total of seven points.

Lakenheath is also 3-3.

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