AB Contern controlled Sparta Bertrange 80-70 in the W-U16 Division 1 championship round, built on a decisive third quarter. Contern edged the first period 20-16 and led just 32-31 at the break, but Coach Dave Schroeder's team blew the game open after halftime with a 29-18 third stanza, capped by a 13-5 surge in which Julie Braun Silva (31 pts; Season PPG: 25.08) poured in 11 points almost single-handedly. The margin peaked at +13 (69-56) early in the fourth.
Sparta, guided by Coach Patrick Roilgen, leaned heavily on Hanna Rotink (35 pts; Season PPG: 16.82), who matched her season high and buried five triples. She sparked repeated pushes seven points in a brief early-fourth stretch and a late three to cut it to 79-70 but Contern's balance and late free throws kept the gap intact. Captain Céline Kerschen (15 years) added 13, steady at the line in the closing minutes despite an unsportsmanlike assessed in the fourth. Emily Quirke (12 pts; 15, IRL) and Sofia Nunes Lopes (11 pts; Season PPG: 8.50) supported, while Kadija Macalou (CON) chipped in 7.
For Sparta, Lilly Engels (15 pts; Season PPG: 10.00) and Annabel Maria Mason Mateos (8 pts) backed Rotink, but the visitors couldn't contain Contern's perimeter bursts both Braun Silva and Rotink hit five threes and the hosts repeatedly found timely scoring runs around mid-third.
In the table, Contern move to 2-1 and 4th in the Phase finale. Sparta drop to 0-3 and 6th, still searching for a first win in this round.
(AI generated)