Sparta Bertrange B overpowered T71 Dudelange C, 105-82, to open the M-U16 Division 4 Phase finale at Atert/Terrain2. Coach Dimitrios Paspaltzis' team blitzed the start with a 14-2 burst and stretched the margin to 36-9 late in the first quarter, their highest lead at +27. Captain Simon Derwael-Thomsin (16, FRA) fueled that wave, pouring in seven straight points during the closing phase of the quarter.
T71 steadied under coach Ronny Schanen, taking the second quarter 26-18 and the third 29-19. Behind Luka Babovic and Daris Adrovic, the visitors trimmed the deficit to 71-66 late in the third, briefly swinging momentum. Sparta answered at the turn, dominated the fourth 32-16 and closed the door with repeated scores from Vasileios Paspaltzis and Jakob Kavas Puc. A technical on Derwael-Thomsin at 91-75 yielded a point to T71, but Sparta kept control and pushed past the century mark.
For Sparta, Derwael-Thomsin (29; Season PPG: 20.5) led all scorers, Paspaltzis (25; Season PPG: 11.5, 14, GRC) was relentless across the third and fourth, and Kavas Puc (16; Season PPG: 12.91) added key inside finishes. Eduard Vevecka (12), Lukas Maver (8) and Loïc Schmit (8) supplemented well; Andrew Blanchard (Season PPG: 8.56) capped the first-quarter avalanche at the line.
T71's response was anchored by Babovic (25, including three triples; Season PPG: 13.71) and Adrovic (19; Season PPG: 16.19, 14, MNE). Felix Peiffer (7), Lee Weyland (6), Timo Ewerling (4), Felix Trierweiler (4), Leo Muller (3, one triple) and Lou Wampach (3, one triple) contributed.
Sparta not only banked a convincing win after a run of difficult results earlier this season; they also climb to first in the Phase finale standings. T71 sit fifth after this opener.
(AI generated)