Sparta Bertrange B booked a 58-43 win at Mersch and moved into the Coupe FLBB semi-finals. The visitors set the tone early: Christophe Logelin (24) opened with back-to-back baskets and Louis Evrard (20, 1.99m) strung together four consecutive free throws to help build a 21-14 first-quarter lead. Sparta stayed in control at halftime (33-23).
Black Star Mersch B reacted after the break. Pol Rodesch (32) powered a 13-6 third quarter, scoring repeatedly inside to pull the hosts back to 36-39 after 30 minutes and then to 38-39 early in the fourth. That was as close as it got. Sparta answered with a 9-2 burst Evrard inside, Logelin from deep, and Arthur Stein (25) at the rim to make it 48-40. After an unsportsmanlike foul on Logelin, Black Star could only convert one free throw, and Sparta slammed the door with a decisive 15-1 run fueled by threes from Logelin and Evrard. The visitors' largest lead reached +17 at 41-58 before a late basket from Erik Daling (36, 1.94m, NED).
Key differences came from the arc and the line: Sparta hit 7 triples and 15 free throws, while Black Star managed 3 threes and 4 free throws. Evrard's 20 points (four threes) paced Sparta, with Logelin adding 12 and late-game shot-making, and Mathieu Verharen Würth (19, 2.00m) contributing 12 (including steady first-half scoring). Pol Schwartz (27, 1.80m) added 8, all built on six makes at the stripe.
For Black Star, Rodesch led with 18. Charel Weis (34, 1.85m) chipped in 6, Ben Hilges (36) had 5, and Daling added 4. After cutting it to one, Black Star were undone by Sparta's perimeter accuracy and composure at the line in the closing minutes.
Coaches: Elton Jorge Ferreira's side managed the late-game swings, while Lisa Hilges' team produced a strong third quarter but lacked scoring depth in the fourth.
(AI generated)