Basket Esch beat Musel Pikes 76-68 in W-U19 Division 1 (Phase 1) at esch/ho3, rebounding from an opening loss and moving to the top of the table (rank +4). The game evolved in waves: Esch edged the first quarter 16-13 and kept control to halftime (39-33). The third period broke it open: Coach Raouf Hatira's team strung together an 18-0 run from 41-35 to 59-35, the night's highest lead (+24). Alma Maria Eudier (16) fueled it with a 5-point personal burst, while Marcia Cristina Rocha Fernandes (16, PRT) repeatedly got to the line, and outside shooting stretched the floor.
Musel Pikes, coached by Marc Hahnemann, answered with a 23-13 fourth quarter, cutting the gap to 74-68 before Esch closed through Rocha Fernandes for the final margin. The visitors' push came despite an unsportsmanlike foul on Sophie Beffort Neuman (17) and a technical on Hannah Curridor (17), who reached the foul limit and exited late.
Top performers
- Basket Esch: Laure Valentin (17) led with 12 points, including two timely threes; Eudier (16) added 9; Petra Oroz (18, HRV) chipped in 9; Rocha Fernandes (16, PRT) had 9 and steadied Esch with free throws. Esch's perimeter was decisive with 8 made threes, and the hosts converted 12 free throws.
- Musel Pikes: Curridor (17) delivered a game-high 25 (10 two-pointers, 1 triple, 2 free throws) and drove the late surge before fouling out; captain Nanda Kleuls (16, 1.73m) added 16; Beffort Neuman (17) scored 12, largely at the stripe (8 free throws); Lea Muacho (17, 1.65m) finished with 4.
Game notes
- Quarter scores: 16-13, 23-20, 24-12, 13-23.
- Esch's 18-0 run in the third quarter was the turning point.
- Musel's fourth-quarter rally brought the game back to two possessions late, before the hosts secured the win.
- Classification: Basket Esch 1-1 (rank 1), Musel Pikes 1-1 (rank 3, -2). Esch ended a one-game losing start; Musel's opening win was followed by this loss.
(AI generated)