Racing Luxembourg D edged BBC East Side Pirates B, 69-63, in Wasserbillig after a tight, momentumshifting game. Pirates blitzed the start with an 11-0 run and closed the first quarter 18-13, then held a 33-29 lead at halftime. The visitors flipped the script in the third: playercoach André Pesch (Season PPG: 9.14) caught fire with four triples in the period and 23 points overall, vaulting Racing ahead 52-55 entering the last 10 minutes despite two technicals on teammates that briefly slowed their surge.
The fourth quarter brought multiple lead changes. Pirates struck first to move 58-57, then after Claude Hoffmann (43) drilled a key three, captain Tony Martins Ferreira (Season PPG: 4.11) answered with a triple for 61-60. Racing produced the winning sequence: Edoardo Cappelli (33, ITA) finished inside, Mathieu Delaplace (46, FRA) buried a big three for 61-65 and added two late free throws, before Zachary Dawson sealed it at 63-69.
Top performers
- Clubtrained core, Racing: Pesch (23) steered the thirdquarter run; Hoffmann (5) hit the goahead three; Dawson added 3 late points.
- Nonhomegrown scorers, Racing: Delaplace (22) was steady throughout, including a personal scoring burst in Q1 and the late dagger; Cappelli (8) delivered timely fourthquarter baskets.
- Clubtrained core, Pirates: Larry Da Luz Harris (43) led with 16, Michel Mathieu (39) added 15, and Martins Ferreira (15) hit two threes in crunch time.
- Other contributors, Pirates: Sacha Urbing (Season PPG: 8.00) posted 9.
Game flow notes
- Pirates' highest lead: +11 (11-0 start).
- Racing's highest lead: +7 (late third, 44-51).
- Notable swings: Pesch's thirdquarter 3-point flurry; backtoback lead changes at 58-57 and 61-60; Delaplace's 5 straight late points.
With this win, Racing D climb to 1st (4-1) and extend their streak to four, while Pirates B stay 3rd (3-2), their threegame run halted. Playercoaches Pesch and Martins Ferreira were central to their teams' identity and lategame decisions.
(AI generated)