Arantia Larochette edged Telstar Hesperange 82-78 in a close championship-round game decided by a dominant fourth quarter. Telstar struck first behind captain Ketsiah Joy Dor (FRA, 15), racing to a 26-14 lead after 10 minutes. Arantia answered in the second: Clara Walter keyed a 6-0 start and, with help from Mara Ronkar, brought the hosts back to 37-37 before Telstar held a 42-37 half-time advantage.
Dor opened the third with six consecutive points to push the margin to +11 (37-48), her scoring spree keeping Telstar in front despite triples from Ylvi Lepage Post and Yara Mores. Entering the last period at 57-65, Arantia surged again: a 6-0 run to 63-65, then Ronkar's three made it 67-68. In the closing minutes, Telstar's late time-outs and Dor's technical foul provided Arantia with extra free throws; the hosts converted to move ahead 80-74 and managed the final possessions for the win.
Arantia's balance carried the day: Ronkar (23 pts; Season PPG: 14.40) was decisive in the fourth, Sara Ferreira Afonso (17; Season PPG: 15.54) delivered key baskets in the lane, Lepage Post (14; Season PPG: 5.91) hit a big third-quarter three, and Walter (13; Season PPG: 10.55) set the tone early. Walter later fouled out.
Telstar relied heavily on Dor's 42 points (Season PPG: 29.70), an exceptional share of her team's offense, with support from Inès Sarah Kambire (19; Season PPG: 24.78) and Victoire Joséphine Kimoni (10; Season PPG: 9.11). Dor, who added a T1 in the fourth, fouled out late, a pivotal moment with the game in the balance.
Coach Osorio Silva's team posts a second straight win over Telstar this season (after 69-58 in Phase 1) and moves to 2nd in the Phase finale table (+1). Coach Kambire's side drops to 3rd (-2) at 1-1. Arantia have now won two in a row.
(AI generated)