T71 Dudelange opened the Championship round with a controlled 93-75 win over Musel Pikes. T71 imposed the tone early (21-10 in Q1) behind captain Tunn Wirion (23) and Bo Wagner's first bucket, and carried a 44-29 lead into halftime. Musel leaned on Ben Matthias Schenk (29, 15, DEU) to stay in touch in Q2, but a five-point burst by Jamie Papa Muller pushed T71 into clear control before the break. After halftime, T71's inside game through Finn Dondelinger and repeated finishes from Wirion stretched it to 72-47 after three. A third-quarter T1 on Schenk and a Q2 bench technical (C1) on coach Daniel Fernandes Sousa punctuated a physical middle phase.
The fourth quarter delivered Musel's best stretch: from 82-51, the visitors pieced together a 13-0 run driven by captain Jaden El Basri (21, 15, FRA) to close to 82-64, but T71 answered through late threes from Ben Jemming and steady free throws, protecting what had been the night's largest gap at +31.
T71 spread the scoring: Wirion (Season PPG: 16.17) led, Dondelinger added 18 (Season PPG: 9.40, nine 2P makes), with double figures from Paddy Keiser (10, two triples), Bo Wagner (10) and Papa Muller (10). Jemming chipped in 8 with two key threes. T71's perimeter was decisive (7 made threes by four shooters) atop a heavy diet of twos (30 2P makes).
For Musel, Schenk (Season PPG: 25.60) was relentless inside (12 2P makes, 5 FTs) and El Basri (Season PPG: 19.00) fueled the late push. Support came from Marvin Contreras (7, Season PPG: 10.40) and Olivier Siebenaler (7).
Context: T71 are up to second in the table after this opener, while Musel sit fifth. T71 have now won two straight after a three-game slide; Musel's five-game winning streak ends. Coach Eric Jeitz's side managed the game evolution better, leading from start to finish.
(AI generated)