AS Soleuvre overpowered BBC Dikrich 105-46 in Diekirch in the 1/16 finales, a game defined by wild momentum swings early and relentless pressure thereafter.
The start was chaotic: Soleuvre surged 11-0, only for Dikrich to answer with a stunning 17-0 run powered by Amar Sijaric (19) and Emerson Medina Vezo (25) for 17-11. From there, Eric Bettini's team flipped the script with a 19-0 reply to 17-30 and closed the first period on a 23-2 stretch for 19-34.
The second quarter broke the contest open. Felix Whitcomb Kloman (23, USA) and Christian Jeffrey Parker (23, USA) kept piling on, while the bench delivered: Mathys Ntemo (19) and Kieran Nono (22, 1.89m, IRL) scored in bunches. Between 24-42 and 24-59, Soleuvre strung together a 17-0 run, reaching halftime at 25-64.
After the break, captain Gilles Weis (30, 1.85m) drilled two threes as Soleuvre opened the third with a 10-0 burst to 25-74. Parker then hit three consecutive baskets for his own 6-0 to 27-80. From there, Bettini rotated freely and the guests controlled tempo to the finish. The largest lead was the final margin of 59.
Leaders - Soleuvre:
- Parker (23, USA) 26 points
- Kloman (23, USA) 19
- Sandro Sana Sanches Gomes Junior (21, PRT) 17
Alongside them, Weis (30, 1.85m) added 8, Kley Cirikovic (21, 1.93m, MNE) 10, with Ntemo (19) 7, Nono (22, 1.89m, IRL) 6, Ibrahim Hasic (19) 6, Stéphane Cavor (17, FRA) 4 and Raphaël Peffer (28) 2.
Leaders - Dikrich (Endrit Shala):
- Medina Vezo (25) 14 points
- Sijaric (19) 8
- Edson Monteiro Neves (26, PRT) 8
Support came from Justin Tram (18, BEL) 4, Yann Canhete Martins (27, BRA) 4, William Rodrigues Fortes (25) 3 and Jordan Roberto Rocha (25) 3.
Key stretches to note: Dikrich's 17-0 in the first, immediately answered by Soleuvre's 19-0; a 17-0 Soleuvre burst in the second; a 10-0 start to the third and Parker's personal 6-0. Soleuvre's balance and depth under Bettini dictated the game's evolution from the middle of the first quarter onward.
(AI generated)