T71 Dudelange C edged Racing Luxembourg 68-63 in a tight W-U16 Division 4 Phase 2 contest at grimler/terrain2, a game defined by large swings of momentum and a tense finish.
Coach Lynn Biever's team exploded out of the blocks: 10-2 after three minutes and up by 20 (35-15) late in the first quarter, with RAC forced into two early time-outs. Quarter scores tell the story of a roller-coaster: 35-23 after Q1, then a defensive grind (5-3 in Q2) sent T71 to the half at 40-26. In the third, T71 pushed to 56-37 behind steady scoring from Joyce Perrard (15) and a three by Laura Raccogli, while Fiona Loes added important free throws.
Coach Wojciech Daniel Kubis' side answered with a furious 26-12 fourth quarter. Viktoriia LUKIANENKO (15, UKR) powered an 8-0 run with three straight baskets to trim it to 62-53, and Emma PECCATI (Season PPG: 13.80) kept the pressure on with multiple drives as RAC closed to 66-63. T71's response was decisive: Claudia Portero Martinez buried two late field goals (66-61 and 68-63), effectively the game-winners, after a timely T71 time-out had halted RAC's surge.
Top performers T71: Perrard (Season PPG: 8.38) led with 18, Loes (Season PPG: 5.17) 12, Raccogli (Season PPG: 7.44) 11 including a triple, Taissy Costa Pego (Season PPG: 6.33) 11, and Portero Martinez (Season PPG: 6.00) 10. Racing's leaders were LUKIANENKO with 21 (one three) despite navigating four fouls, PECCATI 21, and Lucia Maestro Varillas (RAC) 10.
Key stretches: T71's first-quarter 20-point cushion, RAC's 8-0 blast in mid-fourth, and the closing buckets by Portero Martinez. With the victory, T71 moves to the top of the Phase 2 standings, while RAC sits third after a spirited yet short-handed comeback effort on the road.
(AI generated)