Basket Esch C, second in the standings, controlled the decisive moments against fourth-placed Nitia Bettembourg B and also completed a 2-0 season sweep after the earlier 85-70 away win. Esch is now on a six-game winning streak.
The start set the tone. Darren Marschal (Season PPG: 17.47) scored 8 straight points in Esch's 9-0 opening burst, while Elvin Muhovic (Season PPG: 6.83) picked up two fouls in quick succession. The home side pushed the lead to 16-2, with the 1.78m guard Noah Jacques Kambala (Season PPG: 18.18) adding 7 consecutive points of his own. Bettembourg reacted well late in the first quarter, cutting the gap to 20-16.
The second quarter stayed tight. Esch rebuilt a 28-16 cushion, but David Picco (Season PPG: 11.13) drove the comeback with a strong scoring spell, and Bettembourg got level at 35-35 before the break. That was the visitors' best phase.
The game remained open at 37-37 early in the third, then Esch found better balance. Raoul Burg (Season PPG: 4.36) hit from inside and from three, Kambala stayed productive, and Dorian Da Cruz (Season PPG: 9.28) stretched the floor. Esch won the quarter and entered the last period up 58-50.
The key break came in the fourth. Esch opened with a 12-0 run from 58-50 to 70-50, highlighted by back-to-back threes from Da Cruz and more efficient finishing from Marschal and Sven Reis (Season PPG: 8.06). Bettembourg answered with 8 straight points, but never got closer than 12 again.
Kambala and Marschal led Esch with 20 points each, Da Cruz added 12 and Reis 11. For Bettembourg, Mathieu Ercolani (NITB) scored 16 in his first game of this competition, Picco had 14, and Wesley Almeida (Season PPG: 11.29) finished with 9.
(AI generated)