Musel Pikes, coached by Rouven Behnke, controlled the game for long stretches and won 63-52 away to Sparta Bertrange. The win lifted Musel one place to 4th in the standings, while Sparta stayed 6th and remains without a win after a fourth straight loss.
The visitors set the tone early. Lisa Kleuls (Season PPG: 14.60) opened with a 3-pointer and scored 6 of Musel's first 11 points, helping build an 11-3 lead. Musel closed the first quarter ahead 17-8. In the second period, Sonia Garcia Garcia (MUS) scored back-to-back baskets to extend the gap to 22-8, and Musel's defense kept Sparta under pressure on the way to a 33-17 halftime lead.
Sparta responded much better after the break. Chiara Rasolofo (SPA) and Justine Strauel (SPA) gave the home side offensive rhythm in a 21-point third quarter. Still, Musel had already reached its highest lead at 46-26 before Sparta produced a strong 12-3 finish to the quarter, cutting the score to 49-38.
The fourth quarter briefly reopened the game. Rasolofo and Strauel helped Sparta get as close as 49-58. Musel's answer was immediate and important: Giulia Piermatti (MUS) hit a timely 3-pointer for 61-49, and captain Lilli Fischer (MUS), despite 4 fouls, closed calmly with two late free throws.
Kleuls led Musel with 17 points. Fischer added 10, the 16-year-old 1.86m forward Chloé Schmitz (Season PPG: 4.50) scored 8, Charlotte Schmitz (MUS) had 7, and Garcia Garcia added 6. For Sparta, Rasolofo finished with 16 and Strauel with 13, while Hanna Rotink (SPA) contributed 7. Louise Massard (SPA) had two early fouls in the first quarter, which also shaped Sparta's difficult opening half.
(AI generated)