Telstar Hesperange overwhelmed Black Star Mersch 108-69 in Howald, seizing control from the opening tip and never letting go. A 39-19 first quarter set the tone, with an 11-0 Telstar burst from 9-7 to 20-7 breaking the game open. The second quarter was decisive defensively: Black Star were held to just four points as Telstar built a 54-23 halftime lead.
After the break, Telstar kept pushing, stretching the margin to a game-high +46 (96-50, later 102-56). Raffaele Santi (Season PPG: 13.55) led the winners with 25 points, mixing three three-pointers and steady trips to the line. Samuel Rehak (17, SVK; Season PPG: 16.55) powered the third-quarter surge with multiple and-1 trips and a three, finishing with 24. Jules Cochet (Season PPG: 14.64) added 14, while Juan Joyner Lopes da Costa dos S. provided 10 inside touches. Perimeter support came from Ceylian Lortilloir (9), Fabio Massimo Gilotti Gonzalez (8, one triple) and Nikola Angelov Mratsenkov (3, one triple).
Black Star leaned on Trey Sean Boayue (Season PPG: 25.09), who matched his average with 25 and fueled a late 27-24 fourth-quarter response. Sam Tibold (Season PPG: 27.09) added 17 with two threes, and Rui Dias dos Santos scored 8. Luis Henrique Duarte Almeida Evora (17, CPV) chipped in 6. A third-quarter technical on Boayue and a bench technical on coach Jérôme Hansen arrived as Telstar's lead swelled, emblematic of a difficult middle stretch for the visitors.
This result lifts Telstar to first in the Phase finale classification (ranking gain +5), while Black Star sit sixth (-1). Notably, Black Star had come in on a five-game winning run; Telstar snapped it decisively.
(AI generated)