Bascharage Hedgehogs edged CFBB U18 103-100 after overtime in Ins, a close MNationale 2 qualifier decided at the line. The visitors' finishers were decisive: Odysseas Papadopoulos Fatalas (33, 1.92m, GRC) hit the goahead basket for 100101, and Jeffrey Early Jr (Season PPG: 28.6) calmly added four straight free throws to close a 60 run in the extra period. U18's Charel Brettner (17, 1.93m) fouled out early in OT, a blow after his strong second half.
Game evolution swung sharply. U18 struck first (28-20, Q1) behind two early triples from Théo Mc Leod (17, 1.79m, FRA) and interior scores from Brettner. Bascharage flipped it with a 34-19 second quarter, fueled by Early Jr's scoring burst and moments of indiscipline on both sides, including an unsportsmanlike on Sarunas Sulcas (17, LTU). After halftime (47-54), U18 surged with a 9-0 run to 62-56 via Sulcas, Mc Leod and a Brettner three. Veljko Dragasevic (Season PPG: 14.4) answered with timely longrange shots, and Bascharage opened the fourth on a 9-0 burst to 74-84, the night's largest lead (+10). The young hosts rallied: Mc Leod's sixth triple and Lee Brosius (17) tied it at 94-94 to force OT.
Top performers
- Bascharage (nonLuxembourg players): Early Jr poured in 38 and iced it late; Aziz Ndiaye (28, 2.03m, SEN) dominated inside for 21; Dragasevic added 13. Among Luxembourg players, Dzenan Eco scored 14, and Papadopoulos Fatalas' 8 included the crucial late points.
- CFBB U18: Mc Leod led with 30 (six threes); Sulcas had 14; Brettner 14 before fouling out; Leis Sabotic (Season PPG: 5.14) added 11; Brosius 10 and the regulation equaliser; Abram Macalou (16) chipped in 13.
Bascharage are now on a threegame winning streak after two early losses and climb to 4th (+2). U18's skid reaches three, sitting 11th. Note: Bascharage had one professional in uniform, U18 none. Coach Goran Lukic's group held their nerve late, while Denis Toroman's youngsters showed resilience to force OT.
(AI generated)