T71 Dudelange won a close W-U16 Division 1 Phase finale game at Contern, 84-78, and moved up to 2nd place (+1), while AB Contern stayed 4th. It was also T71's third win in three meetings this season against CON.
Coach Dave Schroeder's side started very well. Contern took the first quarter 20-10 and reached the game's first big margin at 20-9. Julie Braun Silva (Season PPG: 23.47) set the tone early, and Kadija Macalou (Season PPG: 7.80) helped CON keep control.
The game changed in the second quarter. After Contern led 31-20, T71 progressively flipped the rhythm and closed the half on an 18-5 surge to lead 38-36. Jana Dos Santos Dramicanin (Season PPG: 11.94) was central in that stretch, scoring repeatedly inside and from the line. Marie Beffort Neuman (Season PPG: 11.06) also brought efficient scoring, while Jil Jander (Season PPG: 4.15) hit a late three to give T71 the halftime edge.
The third quarter was the decisive swing phase. Contern briefly tied at 40-40, but T71 answered through Dos Santos Dramicanin, Katarina Barbic (Season PPG: 11.94) and Jander. Barbic hit three 3-pointers in the period, and T71 won the quarter 31-25 for a 69-61 lead.
Early in the fourth, Coach Yves Marchi's team pushed the gap to 75-61, their highest lead. Contern still came back behind Braun Silva, who finished with 33 points, including a strong personal run in the last quarter, and Emily Quirke (Season PPG: 12.32), the 16-year-old Irish guard, added 17. CON cut it to 81-78, but Jander's late three was the key basket. Nunes Lopes fouled out in the fourth during Contern's chase.
Top scorers were Braun Silva with 33 for Contern and Dos Santos Dramicanin with 26 for T71, her season high.
(AI generated)