T71 Dudelange edged Basket Esch 68-66 after two overtimes in a tense W-U16 Division 1 opener at grimler/terrain1.
Game evolution
- T71 burst to 4-0 before Esch answered with an 11-1 run to close Q1 up 11-5. Midway through Q2, Esch led 20-12 (+8, their largest lead). Coach Yves Marchi's side responded with a 16-4 surge to take a 28-24 halftime lead.
- The third quarter swung back and forth; T71 were up 44-43 entering the fourth. In Q4, Kim Ferron (LAL) hit a key three to 50-50, Ajla Adrovic (LAL) nudged Esch ahead 55-53, but Noémie Baur (T71) coolly tied it at 55-55 from the line to force OT.
- OT1: Baur drilled a go-ahead three (60-59) before Estelle Birnbaum (LAL) equalised at 60-60.
- OT2: From 60-62 down, T71 delivered an 8-0 run Matilde Pego Pinto (T71) scored twice and Eva Guedes (T71) added four straight to a 68-62 cushion (their largest lead, +6). Esch closed to 68-66 but T71 held on.
Top performers
- T71: Guedes (T71) 14, Pego Pinto (T71) 13, Baur (T71) 11, Veena Burgund (T71) 9 with a timely triple, and Katarina Barbic (14, HRV) 10.
- Esch: Birnbaum (LAL) led all scorers with 24; Adrovic (LAL) 15; Lana Clausi (LAL) 13.
Key context
- Esch finished OT without Clausi and Lys Valentin (LAL), both fouled out in Q4, which weighed on their endgame rotations.
- Standings: T71 sit 2nd (ranking gain +4), Basket Esch 4th (+1).
(AI generated)