Kordall Steelers edged Bascharage Hedgehogs 56-54 in a tight M-U14 Division 4 Phase 2 game, decided in the final minute. The hosts set the tone early with a 6-0 start and led 15-10 after the first quarter. They stretched the gap to 25-14 in the second behind Liam Alexander Jovanovic (Season PPG: 16.4) and a bench basket from Antonio Cavuoto (KDS), while Bascharage stayed in touch through Léi Bernard (Season PPG: 6.6), who accounted for three straight team field goals in that period. Halftime: 31-22.
Kordall threatened to break it open in the third, piecing together a 10-2 burst to 41-26 and a game-high +15. Jovanovic and Jayson Otiu (Season PPG: 10.83) powered that stretch. But Coach Nicolas Schaefers' group regrouped: in the fourth, Bascharage surged with Gregor Tomac (13, SVN) and Bernard sparking a 15-4 push that delivered their first lead at 50-48. Karlo Saric (Season PPG: 12.17) then hit two free throws for 52-50.
Coach Arnaud Stéphane Sirjean's timeout steadied Kordall. Jovanovic answered at the line (51-52), Otiu converted for 53-52, and another Jovanovic free throw made it 54-52. Auric Kirsch (13) tied it at 54-54, but Jovanovic's late basket sealed 56-54. Otiu, who finished with 16 points, fouled out in the closing seconds, but the hosts held firm.
Top performers
- Kordall: Jovanovic poured in 25 points (10 twos, one three, late free throws) and closed the game; Otiu added 16. Adham Asfarelouldidi (Season PPG: 8.57, FRA) chipped in 5, Ryan Wakam Kamogne (KDS) 4, Cavuoto (KDS) 2.
- Bascharage: Saric had 12, Bernard 11 including a personal 5-point streak in Q4, Andrija Cubrilo (Season PPG: 9.33) 10 with late free throws, Kirsch 10 and the 54-54 tie, Tomac (13, SVN) 5.
Kordall, now 2-0, move to first place (ranking gain +1) and are on a two-game winning streak after four losses. Bascharage drop to 0-2 and are on a three-game skid. Notable late sequence: Cubrilo committed two P2 fouls in quick succession in crunch time, and Charles Pelt was whistled twice for P2 in the fourth.
(AI generated)