Arantia Larochette opened the Championship Round with a clear 85-64 home win over Basket Esch, moving straight to the top of W-U14 Division 2 (ranking gain +4). It is Arantia's second victory over Esch this season after the 70-46 win from Phase 1.
Game evolution
Esch started better and led 15-13 after the first quarter, powered by Diana Costa de Sousa's early scoring burst and a triple from Yara Tavares Dias. Coach Pedro Nunes Jordao used an early timeout to steady Arantia, who edged the second quarter 21-18 and went to halftime up 34-33, helped by Mathilda Wurth's free throws and Michele Elsen's inside finishes.
The third quarter swung back and forth: Jana Agnes opened with back-to-back baskets for ARA, but 11-year-old Emma Muratovic strung together a series of twos to pull Esch level at 48-48. Arantia still closed the period 54-49.
The decisive stretch came to start the fourth: Arantia ripped a 20-3 run from 54-49 to 74-52, including an 8-0 burst (Elsen, Agnes, Kirch) and then a flurry from Elsen. Coach Pierrette Birchen's timeout early in the quarter couldn't halt the momentum. Arantia's highest lead was the final margin (+21).
Top performers
- Arantia: Michele Elsen (Season PPG: 16.0) poured in 26 points, including 13 in the fourth and five field goals in the last period, matching her season high. Mathilda Wurth (Season PPG: 10.5) added 19, tying her season best, and captain Jana Agnes (Season PPG: 11.67), 12 years old, contributed 15. Amélie Kirch chipped in 8.
- Basket Esch: Emma Muratovic (Season PPG: 10.33) led with 20 points, matching her season high, while 13-year-old Portuguese wing Diana Costa de Sousa scored 17. Yara Tavares Dias added 9 with an early three, and Maheva Monteiro Soares had 6.
Classification
Arantia sits 1st (1-0), Esch 4th (0-1, ranking 1).
(AI generated)