Nitia Bettembourg edged Racing Luxembourg B 63-60 in Bettembourg after a tense finish. The hosts opened 17-10 behind a fast start from Dinis Jorge Cruz Rica (Season PPG: 10.82), who strung together six straight points in the first quarter. Racing hit back in the second (12-19) to level 29-29 at the break, with William Armand Jaud (15, FRA; Season PPG: 7.53) getting on the board repeatedly.
The game flipped decisively in the third. Cruz Rica knocked down four consecutive free throws to steady Nitia, and coach Qassim Sahraoui's side rolled to a 27-15 quarter on a 19-7 surge: Mathis Brochier (Season PPG: 9.00), Tun Rodesch (Season PPG: 3.27) and David Goncalves Maricato (Season PPG: 4.86) all scored in quick succession as the lead peaked at +14 (60-46 early in Q4).
Racing, guided by Ilija Kalajdzic, mounted a late charge. Jaud poured in 10 points in the fourth and Adam Leonard Thiault (Season PPG: 6.30) added two calm free throws to trim it to 60-54. Nitia briefly stemmed the tide through a Brochier free throw and a crucial Rodesch basket for 63-56 Rodesch's layup proved to be the game-winner as Racing closed to 63-60 but could not find the equaliser. Thiault, who tallied 16, navigated foul trouble after collecting four personals.
Top performers
- Nitia: Cruz Rica (18; 14, PRT) and Brochier (18) led the offense; Rodesch added 8 and the decisive late bucket.
- Racing: Jaud (21) was prolific, Thiault added 16, while Huxley Alexander Moss (Season PPG: 2.40) chipped in 6.
Game flow highlights
- Nitia's third-quarter run (from 37-37 to 56-44) built the winning cushion.
- Racing answered with an 8-0 stretch to start their fourth-quarter comeback and closed the game on a 4-0 mini-run.
Form and standings
After a long sequence of defeats earlier in the season, Nitia take this close one and climb to 3rd in the Phase finale (up two places). Racing remain top of the classification despite the setback.
(AI generated)
Nitia Bettembourg 
Racing Luxembourg B 
