Kordall Steelers beat Etzella Ettelbruck 106-92 in Niederkorn, flipping the script after October's 121-62 loss. The hosts seized control early: after trailing 3-8, Kordall closed the first quarter on a 29-10 tear to 32-18, helped by an unsportsmanlike foul on Billy Ray McDaniel Jr. and a steady march to the line. Halftime read 56-41. In the third, Robertas Jonaitis (Season PPG: 24.13, RPG: 9.50, AssPG: 1.60) powered a series of post scores as the gap peaked at +23 (76-53). A technical foul on coach Gavin Love in that stretch underscored Etzella's frustration.
Etzella rallied late behind threes from McDaniel Jr. and Philippe Gutenkauf, trimming to 97-87, but Erik Timko (Season PPG: 29.67, RPG: 7.14, AssPG: 1.86) closed it at the stripe, scoring 8 of Kordall's last 9 points. Timko authored a dominant 46 points on excellent splits: 18/19 FT, 8/11 2P and 4/6 3P. Jonaitis added a 26-point, 16-rebound double-double, while Andre Snoddy (Season PPG: 20.00, RPG: 9.77, AssPG: 0.77) had 18. Gianluca Pellegrino (Season PPG: 16.00, RPG: 6.11, AssPG: 0.83) chipped in 12 with 4 threes.
Among the local core, Kordall contributions were modest, but the overseas contingent dominated the glass and tempo. KDS controlled rebounds 43-26 and owned the stripe (25/28 FT, good), also hitting threes well (11/27, good). Etzella were efficient inside (23/37 2P, 62%, good) but below par at the line (16/25) and from deep (10/29).
For Etzella's locals, Philippe Gutenkauf led with 23, while captain Frédéric Gutenkauf fouled out in the fourth. The visitors' foreign unit saw Adrian Delph (Season PPG: 21.31, RPG: 6.43, AssPG: 3.48) score 23, Nicholas Thomas Davis (2.01m, USA) add 18 on 8/9 2P, and McDaniel Jr. 13. Late, Tim Schomer committed a string of fouls and also exited.
Kordall snap a four-game skid and climb to 8th (+2). Etzella drop to 3rd (-1), now on back-to-back defeats after a long winning run. Coach Antonio Alexandre Bento dos Reis Pires leaned on his scorers and the free-throw line to manage the finish under FIBA endgame pressure.
(AI generated)