In the M-U22 qualification round, 6th-placed Etzella Ettelbruck controlled the game away at 9th-placed Sparta Bertrange and won 101-76. It was Sparta's second loss in a row, while Etzella reacted well after its previous defeat.
The game turned quickly in the first quarter. After Sparta briefly stayed close at 2-3, Etzella produced an 11-0 surge to reach 14-2 and already set the tone. Sam Schaaf (18, 1.92m) and Noah Wolter (18, 1.80m) were immediately influential, and Etzella closed the opening period with a clear 30-16 lead.
Sparta had its best stretch in the second quarter when it cut the gap to 27-40, helped by Nikolaos Papanikolaou (17, 1.86m) and Loïc Schmit (16). Coach Gavin Love's team answered again with another strong sequence, rebuilding separation to 55-33 before the break and taking a 57-35 advantage into halftime.
The third quarter confirmed Etzella's control. Lou Clees (19, 1.89m) added inside-out scoring, Charel Wilmes (17) hit from long range, and the visitors pushed the margin to 78-50. Sparta had some resistance through Thandizo Zulu (16), Diego Maestro Varillas (17) and Gaspard Lesselin (17, 1.81m), but Etzella never lost command.
The fourth quarter was more open offensively, yet the lead stayed comfortable. Etzella's highest advantage reached 30 points at 101-71.
Schaaf led all scorers with 30 points, Wolter followed with 27, and Clees added 15 for Etzella. For Sparta, Papanikolaou and Zulu each scored 15, Maestro Varillas had 14, and Lesselin finished with 8. Hakim Baba fouled out for Etzella, but by then the visitors were already in full control.
(AI generated)