Etzella Ettelbruck controlled the final stretch to beat Racing Luxembourg 93-76 in the Qualification round-robin. After a balanced first half (24-25, 20-17; 44-42), the third quarter remained tight and Etzella entered the last period up 66-63. Racing closed to 69-68, but the hosts answered with a decisive 13-0 run powered by Billy Ray McDaniel Jr and Adrian Delph, stretching it to 82-68 and later a highest lead of 21 (93-72). Racing head coach Adam Radomirovic received a bench technical early in the fourth with the game at 68-63.
Etzella's shooting made the difference: 58% from two and 38% from three (team: 13/34 from deep). Racing struggled at 47% on twos and 27% on threes. The visitors edged the glass (46-43, including 13 offensive), but Etzella's ball movement (20 assists to 8) outweighed their 16 turnovers.
McDaniel Jr (MVP) was clinical: 21 points on 3/3 2P and 5/8 3P, plus 7 rebounds. Delph (Season PPG: 21.89, RPG: 6.00, AssPG: 3.23) added 23 points (6/7 2P), 8 rebounds and 6 assists. Nicholas Thomas Davis (Season PPG: 22.00, RPG: 9.15, AssPG: 2.46) matched with 23 and 7 boards, while Philippe Gutenkauf (Season PPG: 17.00, RPG: 5.27, AssPG: 5.73) flirted with a double-double: 14 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists.
For Racing, Brendan Temple (2.06m, 24, USA) posted 22 points (10/13 2P) and 12 rebounds before fouling out in the fourth. Emanuel Loncaric hit 14 (three triples) and Steve Lanners (Season PPG: 10.67, RPG: 3.67, AssPG: 1.56) also had 14. Antunio Bivins scored 12 and fouled out late. Temple opened the game with Racing's first six points; in Q2 McDaniel's back-to-back threes briefly flipped momentum before Bivins answered with two of his own.
Etzella, coached by Gavin Love, move to 7-2 and climb to 2nd (+2), now on a three-game winning streak. Racing stay 11th at 2-7 and have dropped their last three.
(AI generated)