AB Contern C edged BBC East Side Pirates B, 69-68, in Wasserbillig after a tense finish. Pirates started fast, flipping an early 0-4 into a 16-9 surge on a 9-0 run, and led 23-21 after 10 minutes. They kept momentum to halftime, 42-37, behind the hot hand of Larry Da Luz Ep. Harris (Season PPG: 18.2), who matched his season-high with 23 points.
The game turned in the third quarter. Pirates briefly stretched the margin to a game-high +11 (52-41) after a Tony Martins Ferreira triple, but Contern answered with a 9-0 burst sparked by a technical on Michel Mathieu and threes from Patrick Walravens (32, 1.88m) and Jeff Besch. A later unsportsmanlike on Daniel Kunz gave Patrick Walravens two free throws, and he then rattled off six straight points to close the period. Contern won the third 23-14 to lead 60-56.
The fourth swung again: Pirates clawed back to 66-63 after free throws from Steve Dostert (Season PPG: 2.17) and a Mathieu layup. Liam Tiago Culhane (Season PPG: 1.17) hit a big three for 63-61 earlier, and Sébastien Hommel (Season PPG: 4.64) tied it at 68-68 with a three. After a foul on Martins Ferreira, Hommel split at the line with the decisive point for 69-68. Coach Sébastien Hommel's group protected that slim edge through the final timeout.
Top performers:
- Pirates: Da Luz Ep. Harris (Season PPG: 18.2) 23; Kunz (Season PPG: 7.5) 14; Mathieu (Season PPG: 11.4) 13; Martins Ferreira (Season PPG: 4.18) 9; Dostert 7. Kunz and Dostert also had unsportsmanlike fouls that coincided with momentum swings.
- Contern: Walravens (Season PPG: 19.33) 22; Besch (Season PPG: 11.67) 18; Miguel Antonio Fernandes Torres (27) 10; Hommel 8 including the tying three and game-winning free throw; Culhane 5; Christian Harr (Season PPG: 5.6) 6.
Contern improve to 3rd (+1) at 4-3, while Pirates slip to 8th (-1) at 3-4. Notable season marks: Da Luz Ep. Harris equaled his season high (23), Besch tied his (18), and Miguel Fernandes Torres matched his (10).
(AI generated)