Nitia Bettembourg edged Kordall Steelers 52-50 in niederkuer after a tense finish. Kordall, guided by coach Gianluca Pellegrino OMBRONI, controlled the first half behind the tandem of Lea Njia Nouemsi (Season PPG: 15.67) and Ema Babacic (Season PPG: 18.40), leading 30-27 at the break and peaking at +5 (28-23). Babacic strung together four straight points in the first quarter to flip the early momentum.
Coach Arnaud Pyee's Nitia flipped the game right after halftime with a 7-0 burst (Sasha Pyee, Chiara Cataldo, Chiara Kabbah) to move ahead 34-30, then stretched the cushion to a game-high +7 at 39-32 and again at 45-38. Kordall answered with a 6-0 run to close the third at 44-45. The fourth quarter stayed tight: Nitia built a 51-46 edge through Chiara Terazzi (Season PPG: 12.64) and Pyee (Season PPG: 4.50), but Nouemsi and Babacic dragged Kordall back to 50-51. A late free throw by Pyee set the final margin, and Nitia's defense held the last possession.
Kordall leaned heavily on Nouemsi's 22 and Babacic's 20, with captain Sybélia Schmitz adding two free throws. Starter Diana Lopes Campelo (Season PPG: 6.50) fouled out in the closing minutes after two quick whistles, a blow to the hosts' rotation. Nitia spread the scoring: 12-year-old Inga Eudier (10), Cataldo (10), Terazzi (10), Pyee (8) and Tonia Rodesch (Season PPG: 6.70) with 8, plus contributions from Kabbah, Benjelloun and Mira Frising.
In form terms, Nitia are now on a two-game winning run after a rough patch, while Kordall slip to four straight defeats. In the Phase finale standings, Nitia sit 2nd at 2-1, Kordall 5th at 0-3.
(AI generated)