BBC Dikrich edged Racing Luxembourg B 64-59 in a tight championship-round fixture decided by a third-quarter surge and late free throws. Racing, guided by coach Ilija Kalajdzic, opened with purpose (21-13, Q1) and still led 33-31 at halftime after a 5-point flurry by Doruk Ege Kurtes (2+3). Coach László József Hartl's side flipped the game after the break: Dikrich delivered an 18-0 run from 35-31 down to 49-35 up, the night's highest lead (+14). Farih Nurkovic (Season PPG: 35.83) powered that burst with 12 of those 18 points, while Mimballa Erwan-Scott Owoutou (15, FRA) and Gustavo Ferreira Rebelo added timely finishes.
Racing answered with a 20-13 fourth quarter. William Armand Jaud (Season PPG: 8.06) kept them afloat inside and Michael Peter Fenger (DNK) buried a late three to bring it back to two possessions, while Konrad Arthur Gesinski scored back-to-back baskets in the closing stretch. However, Nurkovic calmly knocked down four straight free throws in the final minutes to steady Dikrich. At the stripe Dikrich held a decisive 10-3 edge in made free throws, which offset Racing's two triples (Fenger, Kurtes). From the field, Dikrich collected 27 two-pointers to Racing's 25.
Key individual efforts
- Dikrich domestic core: Nurkovic 29, Lou Tock (Season PPG: 9.00) 10. International support: Owoutou (15, FRA) 17, Ferreira Rebelo (Season PPG: 15.75) 4.
- Racing domestic core: Jaud 18 and captaincy presence before fouling out; Gesinski (Season PPG: 2.00) 6. International support: Kurtes (Season PPG: 8.00) 15, Fenger (DNK) 5, Bartosz Jan Olejnik (Season PPG: 12.00) 7 before fouling out.
Foul trouble shaped the finish for Racing as both Jaud and Olejnik exited in the fourth quarter. Despite Racing's late push, the winners were BBC Dikrich, who remain top of the Phase finale table (1st, 4-0) and extend their winning streak to eight. Racing slip to 3rd.
(AI generated)