Basket Esch beat AB Contern 83-71 in the W-Enovos League qualification round, turning a tight game into a clear win with a dominant fourth quarter. Contern controlled early (16-12 after Q1), with Stefanie Grace Kulesza and Caileigh Ann Walsh productive inside, while Jovana Jaksic kept Esch in touch. The second quarter was a trade of perimeter shots - threes from Ana Petrova and Lou Mathieu answered by Kyra Coulon and Jaksic - for a 37-35 Contern lead at the half.
The third period swung wildly. Walsh poured in 8 points in a row to make it 44-37, but Esch replied through Jaksic, who hit a three and a two in quick succession, and the hosts tied it at 56-56 after Coulon's triple. A bench technical against Esch in this spell did not change the momentum for long.
Coach Vincent Gevrey's team broke it open in the last 10 minutes. Tatsiana Likhtarovich (37, 1.78m, BLR) hit three triples in the fourth and fueled a 14-2 run from 61-60 to 75-62, with Eden Elizabeth Nibbelink steady at the line. Walsh later fouled out, and Contern could not recover. Coach Fabienne Fuger's side finished at 50% on 2s but only 31% from three and 67% at the line, while Esch shot 89% FT (16/18, good) and 47% from three, and dominated the glass 42-27.
Jaksic (Season PPG: 24.6, RPG: 6.6, AssPG: 2.0) was MVP with 33 points on elite efficiency: 9-10 FT, 9-17 on 2s, 2-2 from deep. Likhtarovich added 18, and Nibbelink (Season PPG: 10.4, RPG: 8.6, AssPG: 1.2) grabbed 14 rebounds. For Contern, Walsh (Season PPG: 23.0, RPG: 5.0, AssPG: 1.8) had 22 before fouling out, Esmeralda Skrijelj (Season PPG: 9.6, RPG: 9.8, AssPG: 1.8) posted a 10-point, 14-rebound double-double with 4 steals, Kulesza added 13, and Petrova hit four threes for 12.
Esch climb to 5th (+1) and end a three-game skid; Contern sit 3rd.
(AI generated)