BBC East Side Pirates controlled Basket Esch 65-42 in Wasserbil. to open the Championship Round of W-U14 Division 1. After a balanced start (14-10 after Q1), BEP broke the game open early in the second quarter with a 9-0 run from 14-10 to 23-10, forcing an Esch timeout. The hosts carried a 28-19 lead into halftime.
The third quarter was even (10-10), but Esch made a push to start the fourth. A 7-1 burst cut the gap to 38-34 and then 39-36. From there, BEP's response was decisive: a 26-6 closing stretch built the final +23 margin, driven by repeated trips to the line and steady conversion.
Louisa Schmit (Season PPG: 21.80) was the standout with 27 points, including multiple free throws during the decisive phase. She received balanced help from Julie Ronck (Season PPG: 4.86) with 8 points, and the duo of Aurélie Biver (Season PPG: 6.00) and Lena Lentz (Season PPG: 4.90), both on 7. Captain Nelly Ney (14 years) added timely baskets.
For Esch, Diana Costa de Sousa (13, PRT) led with 13 points, while Maheva Monteiro Soares (Season PPG: 4.25) chipped in 11. Emma Muratovic (Season PPG: 13.00) had 9 before fouling out in the fourth quarter, a turning point as Esch also saw frontcourt mate Y. Sira Esther Mbikayi reach five fouls. Esch's early fourth-quarter surge briefly threatened, but consecutive fouls put BEP in the bonus, and Schmit capitalized at the stripe.
Coach Tania Mehlen's Pirates start the round in 2nd place (1-0). Esch sit 5th (0-1) under Pierrette Birchen, with their recent three-game winning run halted.
(AI generated)