Musel Pikes controlled Basket Esch 81-66 in Dreiborn and climbed to the top of the W-U16 Division 1 Phase 2 table. The hosts extended their overall winning streak to eight, while Esch's five-game run came to an end. Musel had also taken the first head-to-head this season 73-51.
The game opened with a 7-2 Pikes start before Esch settled. At 35-35 late in the first half, Coach Majdi Anan's team pieced together a 7-1 finish to take a two-possession cushion into the break. Musel struck first after the interval with a 7-0 burst to 49-36. Esch, guided by Coach Karim Elbaoune, surged back to 64-58, but another 7-0 reply from Pikes restored double digits at 71-58. In the closing phase, Nour Elodie Diallo (Season PPG: 11.57) took over with a string of four baskets across five Musel scoring trips, pushing it to 79-64 and then 81-64, the largest lead of the night (+17).
The numbers underline Musel's interior dominance: 36 field goals to Esch's 25, including a commanding 32 made two-pointers (64 points). Esch stayed in touch through the stripe with 14 made free throws to Musel's 5, but the home side's volume of finishes inside proved decisive. Musel added four made threes to Esch's two.
For Musel, Marie Gloden (Season PPG: 14.5) and Diallo each scored 21. Sonia Garcia (Season PPG: 14.38) contributed 12 with two threes, and Coralie Heynen (Season PPG: 10.14) had 8. Twelve-year-old Emma Gloden hit a timely three and finished with 5. Esch were led by Kim Ferron (Season PPG: 17.63) with 18, supported by Anaïs Gocel (15, FRA) with 15 and Estelle Birnbaum (Season PPG: 17.50) with 14. Lana Clausi (Season PPG: 14.13) added 12, and Akissi Yves N'Goran chipped in 7.
In the standings, Musel Pikes move to 3-0 in Phase 2 with a +2 ranking gain to 1st, while Basket Esch sit 3rd at 2-1 (1).
(AI generated)