Sparta Bertrange B edged Gréngewald Hueschtert B, 67-63, after a late swing in a game that flipped dramatically in the fourth. GREB controlled the first half (14-10, 16-11) with steady half-court offense, and even stretched their lead to +15 at 38-23 early in the third. SPAB chipped away behind Konstantinos Laliotis (Season PPG: 11.55) and Mert Bugra Kuzu (16, NLD), trimming it to 49-43 after three.
The decisive stretch came to open the fourth: SPAB strung together a 10-0 run two threes by Martin Cezard Mangel (Season PPG: 7.56) split by a Kuzu layup and a Yann Kunzer finish turning a six-point deficit into a 53-49 lead. GREB replied through Mats Genevaro Van den Biezenbos (GREB) and Harik Avanesov (Season PPG: 8.10) at the stripe, but SPAB kept finding answers inside with Kuzu and Luc Blanc. In the final minute, Nicolas François L. Dupong (Season PPG: 8.14) and Egidijus Jarukaitis (Season PPG: 10.00) dragged GREB back to 63-64 from the line. After a SPAB timeout, Laliotis (16, GRC) buried the game-winning three for 63-67.
Top performances
- SPAB: Laliotis 17 with multiple second-half threes, Kuzu 14 with a string of key buckets in the fourth, Cezard Mangel 10 including back-to-back triples to start the final quarter, Kunzer 6 and Boccara 7 in support. Aurélien Nils Vernaison added 6 while managing foul trouble (two quick whistles in Q1, four overall).
- GREB: Dupong 19 (captain, mixed drives and free throws), Avanesov 14 with a strong third-quarter burst, Van den Biezenbos 11 and Jarukaitis 10 steady across three quarters; Tom Krier chipped in 4.
Coaches: Christophe Dubois' group stayed composed after halftime, while Nicolas Saquan Parrish's team led for long stretches but couldn't stem SPAB's fourth-quarter momentum.
Context: SPAB halt a four-game skid and sit 5th (1-2). GREB drop to 0-3 in the championship round and are 6th, now on a three-game slide.
(AI generated)