AB Contern won a tight friendly against Spirou Charleroi, 54-50, after controlling most of the important stretches and holding firm in the last minutes.
Fabienne Fuger's team recovered well from an early 0-2 start. Kyra Coulon (CON) and Marah Dykstra (CON) combined for a 5-0 response, and Hannah Stines (CON) gave Contern momentum with two first-quarter three-pointers for an 11-10 lead after 10 minutes. In the second period, the home side built the first real cushion: Dykstra, Stines and Liz Irthum (CON) pushed the score from 11-10 to 17-12. Spirou answered behind PLamedi Lufuanda (SPC), cutting it back to 17-17, but Coulon restored a 21-17 halftime edge.
The third quarter was the game's most open phase, with 43 combined points, more than the 38 scored in the whole first half. Charleroi started it with a 7-2 run and briefly moved in front at 24-23. Lufuanda and léania Ralet (SPC) drove that swing, while Contern answered through Stines and Dykstra. Late in the quarter, Stines scored 6 points in a row as Contern turned a 37-38 deficit into a 43-38 lead.
That sequence shaped the finish. After Charleroi got back to 47-44, Contern produced a decisive 5-0 burst through Dykstra and Coulon to reach the game's highest lead, 52-44. Vincent Bouffioux's side still stayed close, with Laetitia Waterloo (SPC) hitting from long range and Ralet trimming the score to 54-50.
Stines led Contern with 21 points, Dykstra added 14, and Coulon finished with 9, including late key baskets. Lou Mathieu (31, 1.68m) also gave Contern a valuable fourth-quarter score. For Charleroi, Ralet had 22 points, nearly 44% of her team's total, Lufuanda added 15, and Anastasia Kovtun (SPC) contributed 5.
(AI generated)