Basket Esch edged Etzella Ettelbruck 75-72 in M-U16 Division 1 (Phase 1) at Deichwisen/Central, a close contest decided in the final minutes.
Etzella, under coach Thierry Kremer, opened sharper. Captain Gilles Schock (Season PPG: 14.60) hit early free throws and a layup to spark a 6-0 swing to 8-2, and ETZ closed the first quarter up 21-19. The second period flipped twice: Alexandre Kremer ignited Esch with 5 straight (2+3) for 21-24, but Etzella answered to 33-26 after Liam Ferreira Capela's free throws. Coach Stéphane Feller's team then finished the half on an 8-0 run Paul Blettery, Maël Gevrey at the line, and Euricky Semedo (2+1) to 37-37.
Out of the locker room, Esch delivered the game's biggest punch: an 11-0 burst to 37-48, with Blettery, Edmilson Miguel, Semedo and Gabriel Thomas all scoring. ETZ suffered two blows in this stretch: an unsportsmanlike foul on Ferreira Capela and the foul-out of captain Gilles Schock late in Q3. Seid Muratovic (14, MNE) kept ETZ in touch from the stripe, narrowing to 53-57 after three.
Muratovic then authored the fourth quarter's first nine Etzella points six in a row at the line followed by a three for a 59-57 lead. Esch replied immediately with an 8-0 run (Dayson Silva Goncalves, Blettery, Faisal Abdirizak) to 65-59. The closing sequence stayed tight: Muratovic cut it to 66-67, Miguel answered, Thomas and Gevrey pushed it to 73-68, and Semedo made it 75-69 before Ben Schock's late three set the final at 75-72.
Top scorers - Etzella: Muratovic (Season PPG: 17.43) 25 (7 FT, 6x2, 2x3), Ben Schock (Season PPG: 14.00) 12, Noah Mendes (Season PPG: 10.20) 10. Basket Esch: Gevrey (FRA; Season PPG: 13.20) 13, Alexandre Kremer (Season PPG: 13.00) 11, Thomas (FRA; Season PPG: 8.00) 10; Blettery 9, Silva 9.
With the win, Basket Esch climb to 1st (4-1). Etzella drop to 3rd (3-2), their three-game run halted. Esch have won four of their last five.
(AI generated)