Racing Luxembourg C took a second win over Basket Esch B this season, 80-71, and the game turned with a strong last quarter after Esch had entered the fourth ahead 57-53. Racing moved up to 3rd place (+1) and extended its run to three straight wins, while Basket Esch B, now 5th (+1), suffered a second consecutive loss.
Racing opened with a 5-0 start, but Esch answered with a 7-0 burst and edged the first period 23-22. The visitors stayed close in the second and went to halftime in front 41-40. Franck Meriguet's team then produced its best spell in the third quarter. Jules Neuen (Season PPG: 9.00) and 38-year-old Hungarian guard Marko Latinovic (Season PPG: 13.00) pushed Esch in front, and Latinovic's basket made it 55-51 before Esch closed the quarter at 57-53.
The decisive shift came in the fourth, won 27-14 by Racing. From 59-55, Tom Muller's side put together a 16-5 run to lead 71-64, then finished with another 7-0 stretch from 73-67 to 80-67 before the last Esch points.
In a close game, the winners were Sofiane Bah (Season PPG: 12.35), Drini Manjani (Season PPG: 13.07) and captain Miguel Llevenes Martinez (Season PPG: 12.46). They combined for 57 points. Bah scored 12 in the last quarter, Manjani remained decisive despite heavy foul trouble in that period, including an unsportsmanlike foul, and 34-year-old Spanish captain Llevenes Martinez added several key baskets late.
For Esch, Latinovic and Neuen scored 16 each, Raphaël Cessat added 15, and Luka Stankovic gave useful support in the middle quarters. Racing also completed the season sweep after its earlier 88-68 home win.
(AI generated)