Sparta Bertrange controlled AB Contern 78-63 at Atert, building the lead step by step: 20-17 after 10 minutes, 43-36 at half, 67-54 after three. The key surge came early in Q2 with a 9-0 run (from 20-17 to 29-17), sparked by Philippe Arendt's three and Yannick Verbeelen's inside finish. Contern briefly threatened in the third: Landon Lowder hit back-to-back threes and Igor Durovic added five straight to pull it to 55-54. Coach Karl Abou Khalil's timeout settled Sparta, who answered with an 8-0 spell (Nicolas Hittelet and Verbeelen, plus a Hittelet triple) to restore daylight. In the fourth, after Contern closed to 69-63, Sparta closed on a 9-0 run. The largest lead came at the buzzer (+15).
Victor Chidi Iwuakor (26, 2.01m, USA) was dominant: 34 points, 12 rebounds, 5 blocks and an excellent 15/21 on 2-pointers (71%). He scored in bunches consecutive baskets at 35-23 and 37-23 in Q2, then again to push 71-63 and 73-63 in Q4 before sealing it late. Among Sparta's locals, Verbeelen (Season PPG: 9.47, RPG: 3.50, AssPG: 3.00) chipped in 10 with a three, Victor Stein (7) opened with an early triple, and Hittelet hit a key third-quarter three; Arendt added 5.
For Contern, Lowder (Season PPG: 24.14, RPG: 4.15, AssPG: 3.85) scored 26 with four threes and an excellent 2/2 at the line. Joshua Ferguson (Season PPG: 18.27, RPG: 12.43, AssPG: 3.10) posted a 12-point, 14-rebound double-double and 3 blocks, but fouled out in the fourth costly as Contern tried to stay close. Durovic added 8 (including a fourth-quarter three) after an early unsportsmanlike foul; Christophe Mertzig had 5.
Sparta did it despite having one professional player to Contern's two another sign of their balance. Coach Anthony Franck Tomba's team had its best spell in the third, but late fouls (including two quick ones by Konstantin Novakovic) and Sparta's closing run decided it.
Sparta rise to 1st (13-2), while Contern remain 12th (1-14). Sparta also took the first meeting, 86-76 away.
(AI generated)