BBC Dikrich edged Black Star Mersch 89-88 in a tense M-U22 N2 Qualification game in Diekirch, decided at the line in the final seconds by Justin Tram (DIE). The hosts built control with a dominant second quarter that featured a 14-0 burst (from 18-17 to 32-17) and their largest lead at +16 (35-19), taking a 45-37 halftime cushion. Black Star flipped the script after the break: a 28-14 third quarter, sparked by Sam Tibold (BSM) and Raphael Solomon (PHL), included a Leandro Da Silva Nunes triple for 58-61 and Solomon's back-to-back scores to close the period 59-65. Early in the fourth, Mersch stretched it to +7 (61-68).
Discipline shaped the stretch run. Steen Beckers (1.80m, 18) was hit with an unsportsmanlike (U2) in the third, while Tibold received a T1 in the fourth and later fouled out, as did Trey Sean Boayue (BSM). Dikrich's captain Ewan Da Silva Jos (DIE) poured in 20 before fouling out; David Owen Dakeu Ngaha (DIE) also exited on fouls. In crunch time, Joel Leite Delgado (18, PRT) caught fire, stringing 7 straight team points (3+2+2) to swing it 81-80. The final minute was a sequence of ties and lead changes: Amar Sijaric (DIE) drilled a go-ahead three (86-85), Beckers and Solomon answered to 88-88, and Tram coolly knocked down the game-winning free throw for 89-88. Luigi Busto (DIE) committed two fouls in a row in that late sequence, underlining the pressure.
Top performers
- BBC Dikrich: Amar Sijaric (DIE) 28, three triples and clutch late free throws; Joel Leite Delgado (18, PRT) 23; Ewan Da Silva Jos (DIE) 20.
- Black Star Mersch: Raphael Solomon (PHL) 25; Sam Tibold (BSM) 24 with two threes before fouling out; Trey Sean Boayue (BSM) 15; Leandro Da Silva Nunes (BSM) 7, including a key third-quarter three.
Dikrich move to the top of the table, while Mersch slip to 0-2, now on a two-game losing run.
(AI generated)