Etzella Ettelbruck edged Sparta Bertrange 73-66 in M-U16 Division 1 (Phase 1), a close game decided by Etzella's middle-quarter surge and timely answers in the last period. After a hot Sparta start powered by long-distance accuracy, the visitors led 20-15 at the first break. Etzella and coach Thierry Kremer flipped the script in the second quarter with a 23-8 stretch, including a 9-0 run from 19-24 to 28-24, to take a 38-28 halftime lead.
The fourth quarter opened wild. Etzella briefly pushed to 40-28, but Sparta answered with 9 straight points (threes by Maximilaan Flechtner (15, DEU) and William Scarsbrook) to close to 40-37. Etzella responded immediately: Seid Muratovic (ETZ) hit a free throw and a three, and the hosts built back momentum. A 9-0 Etzella run from 46-44 to 55-44 produced the night's largest gap, later extended to +12 at 59-47. Sparta kept coming, trimming to 71-66 in the final minutes before Etzella's last basket settled it.
Top performers
- Etzella: Seid Muratovic (ETZ) poured in 24 points (3 threes, 3 FTs) and repeatedly stopped Sparta's rallies; Gilles Schock (ETZ) added 20 with relentless two-point scoring; Noah Mendes (ETZ) chipped in 16 and valuable late buckets. Ben Schock (ETZ) had two quick first-quarter fouls but still contributed 5 points, while Bastian Torres (14, FRA) added 4, all in Q2, to fuel the swing.
- Sparta: Maximilaan Flechtner (SPA) led with 22, including five threes and a burst of back-to-back triples to close Q1; Thandizo Jon Zulu (SPA) scored 17 with eight made twos; Isamu-Vincent Boisclair (SPA) had 7 and Vasileios Paspaltzis (SPA) 6. Scarsbrook (SPA) and a late wave of drives kept Sparta within one run of a comeback.
Discipline and context
No player fouled out, though Etzella's leaders navigated four fouls. With this win, Etzella move to the top of the classification (1-1), while Sparta (0-2) remain in search of a first victory under coach Christian Michael Wulff.
(AI generated)