Etzella Ettelbruck edged Racing Luxembourg 82-76 in M-U16 Division 1 (Phase 1) at tramsschap/central, riding a balanced attack and a decisive second quarter. After a tight 18-21 first period, Racing briefly drew to 20-21, but Etzella replied with a 7-0 run to 22-32 and closed the half up 35-50. The visitors' largest lead reached 17 (35-52) early in the third before Racing began to chip away.
The game tilted again in the fourth. Captain Nick Wallers (RAC, 15) authored a solo surge, scoring his team's next 12 points to pull Racing within 67-71. Time-outs followed on both benches as Coach Uros Niksic tried to prolong the momentum and Coach Thierry Kremer sought to steady his group. The decisive plays, however, went Etzella's way: Seid Muratovic (14, MNE) scored twice in traffic and Ben Schock added a late basket to extend the gap to 73-82, effectively sealing it. In a close finish, those two were the game-winners for ETZ.
Wallers was the standout of the night with 42 points, mixing 11 two-point field goals, 4 triples and 8 free throws, and carrying the comeback bid in the final quarter. He had support from Elhadj Ibrahima Diallo (RAC, 13, PRT) with 19, including a key three in the first quarter, and Martin Cuesta Jaramillo (RAC, 14, ESP) who added 9 and converted at the line during the third-quarter rally.
Etzella's strength was depth. Muratovic led with 19, while Noah Mendes scored 14 and was active through the middle quarters. Gilles Schock chipped 14, punctuated by trips to the line in the second quarter, and Ben Schock added 11. Lou Dos Santos had 9 and Bastian Torres 7, both important in building the halftime cushion.
In the classification, Etzella climbs to 1st (+2) at 3-1 and is now on a three-game winning streak. Racing remains 0-4 in 6th after a fourth straight loss.
(AI generated)