Sparta Bertrange controlled AS Soleuvre 77-62 in the M-U14 Division 1 championship round (game 3), staying perfect in the Phase finale and moving to the top of the table (3-0, +1 rank). Soleuvre slip to 2nd (2-1, -1) as their five-game winning run ends. Sparta also won the previous meeting this season (61-57).
The start was balanced until Sparta closed the first quarter 23-16 behind early production from Petar Kulisic and Rafael Ferreira. Soleuvre, paced by Timéo Weber and Phillipe Vieira Geraldes, trimmed the gap before the break (37-32). The third period belonged to Sparta: a 7-0 burst to 48-37 sparked by Ferreira and Kulisic stretched the cushion, and it was 60-50 after three.
Leo Loesch ignited Soleuvre's push in the fourth. He drilled three triples and added a free throw for 10 points in the quarter, bringing the visitors as close as 66-60. Yann Ewert's group answered with the decisive sequence: a 9-0 run to 75-60, driven by Alexander Möller and Charel Didlinger. Möller, 13 years old (SWE), netted 8 of Sparta's final 11 points as the hosts reached their largest lead of 15 late.
Top performers
- Sparta: Petar Kulisic (26 pts; Season PPG: 28.83) carried the interior scoring and repeatedly strung together back-to-back baskets in the third. Rafael Ferreira (19; Season PPG: 17.38) was steady at the line and from mid-range. Alexander Möller (17; Season PPG: 14.75) closed it out in the fourth. Support came from Filip Schumacher (5) and Alessandro Giannini (4).
- Soleuvre: Timéo Weber (19; Season PPG: 18.46) opened and sustained much of the offense. Lou Lahure (15; Season PPG: 24.00), 14 years old, added two threes and consistent drives. Leo Loesch (13) hit four triples, including a late flurry, and Vieira Geraldes added 10 (Season PPG: 21.75).
Carlo Ferrante's side had momentum in spurts especially through Loesch's shooting but Sparta's third-quarter surge and late 9-0 answer settled the game.
(AI generated)