US Heffingen opened Phase 1 with a clear 74-39 home win over Nitia Bettembourg and moved to 1st place with a gain of three positions. Nitia dropped to 4th.
The start belonged to Bettembourg. Inga Eudier (NIT) and Chiara Terazzi (NIT) helped the visitors into a 2-8 lead, while Heffingen captain Charlyne Gloden (HEF) committed two early fouls in the first quarter. The game turned before the break in rhythm: from 2-8, Heffingen answered with a 15-4 run to close the first period 17-12. Ella Kieffer (HEF), Léini Dostert (HEF) and Gloden were central in that first swing.
The decisive passage came in the second quarter. The team coached by José Alberto Pais Costa won it 19-3. After 19-12, Heffingen built a 9-0 run to 28-12, defended with much more control, and reached halftime at 36-15. Amelia Morton (HEF) then scored 6 points in a row late in the quarter.
Heffingen kept the pressure after halftime. Gloden hit the only three-pointer for the home side at 39-15, Kieffer and Dostert continued to score regularly, and the margin stretched to 57-22 after three quarters. The highest lead reached 37 points at 73-36.
Kieffer (HEF), 15 years old, led the winners with 22 points. Dostert (HEF), only 12, added 16, Morton (HEF) had 10, and Gloden (HEF) finished with 9. Krieps (HEF) scored 6 and Bender (HEF) 5. For Nitia, Terazzi (NIT) led with 12 points, Cataldo (NIT) added 8, Kabbah (NIT) 7, and Pyee (NIT) 5. Bettembourg had a more even fourth quarter, but Heffingen's second-quarter break and steady inside scoring had already shaped the game.
(AI generated)