Sparta Bertrange controlled the second meeting of this phase finale against Nitia Bettembourg and won 80-33, moving up to 1st place (+1) with a 5-1 record. Laurent Cames' team is now on a 4-game winning streak, while Nitia remains 3rd at 3-3.
The game was competitive early. Nitia even went in front 6-4 after baskets by Lara Wies and Sasha Pyee, but Sparta closed the 1st quarter on a 6-0 run through Anaé Sacaze (Season PPG: 23.79). That changed the rhythm of the game. In the 2nd quarter, Sparta stretched the gap from 10-6 to 30-13, with Sacaze scoring in bursts and Marie-Fleur Flechtner, the 12-year-old German forward (Season PPG: 9.63), adding steady interior production. Nitia also had to manage repeated foul trouble for starter Nadine Kabbah, who picked up fouls in quick succession and fouled out before the break.
Nitia's best spell came in the 3rd quarter. Chiara Terazzi (Season PPG: 13.21) kept Arnaud Pyee's side alive with 13 points overall, including a three-pointer, while Adèle Schmidt (Season PPG: 5.50) had a useful stretch with back-to-back baskets. But Sparta answered each push and kept the margin at 19 entering the last period.
The 4th quarter was one-way traffic. Sparta opened a decisive 25-0 run, turning 51-31 into 76-31 and pushing the highest lead to 47. Sacaze finished with 28, Flechtner with 23, Stéphanie Stoeva (Season PPG: 8.43) added 12, and Camille Blau (Season PPG: 5.30) scored 10. For Nitia, Terazzi led clearly, with Schmidt, Tonia Rodesch (Season PPG: 6.85) and Wies supporting in shorter phases.
(AI generated)