Sparta Bertrange opened its M-Enovos League campaign with an 86-72 home win over AS Soleuvre and moves into 4th place of the qualification table, while Soleuvre is 9th.
Game evolution was clear. Soleuvre briefly led 6-3 and 15-14, but Sparta changed the rhythm late in the first quarter. From 19-15, Karl Abou Khalil's team closed the period on an 8-0 run for 27-15, then extended it to 32-15 early in the second quarter, a 13-0 stretch overall. Eric Bettini's side answered well before the break, mainly through Gerald Maurice Drumgoole (25, USA) and Christian Jeffrey Parker (24, USA), trimming the gap to 45-38 at halftime.
The key passage came in the third quarter. Soleuvre stayed close at 50-45 and 58-52, but Sparta then produced a decisive 10-0 run to 68-52. The highest lead reached 22 points at 74-52 in the fourth. Soleuvre still cut it to 77-66, yet a three from Philippe Arendt (28, 1.86m) stopped that push.
Avelon Luke John Jr (30, 2.02m, USA) was the main difference: 26 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks, plus good 2-point shooting (54.5%) and good 3-point shooting (50.0%). Max Logelin (23, 1.87m) added 17 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists, with excellent 2-point accuracy (83.3%). Sparta also had strong ball movement with 19 assists and shot well as a team: 54.1% on 2-pointers and 35.7% from three, both in the good range.
For Soleuvre, Drumgoole matched the game-high with 26 points and 7 rebounds on good shooting from the line (85.7%) and from two (55.6%). Captain Gilles Weis (31, 1.85m) added 14 points, and Davide Grun (26, 1.86m) had 11 points and 7 rebounds. Parker fouled out early in the fourth quarter, an important moment with Soleuvre already chasing. The game flow also recorded an early disqualifying-foul entry involving Yannick Verbeelen, who still contributed 10 points for Sparta.
(AI generated)