Basket Esch overturned a slow start to beat Sparta Bertrange 92-70 under FIBA rules in esch/ho1, avenging October's 86-62 loss. Sparta jumped ahead 24-15 in the first quarter behind Jarvis Williams (18 pts) and Victor Iwuakor (20), and still led 35-31 at halftime. The game flipped after the break: Esch opened the third with a 3 from Dino Ceman and a quick score by Quinten Nelson to take the lead, then produced a decisive 20-5 surge to 58-45. That spell featured three straight free throws by Jordan Hicks, a triple from Hicks, and two more Nelson free throws following an unsportsmanlike foul (U2) on Philippe Arendt. Esch won the third 36-17 to enter the last quarter up 67-52 and pushed the gap to a highest lead of 25 in the fourth.
Esch's offense leaned on efficient 2-point shooting (26/40, 65% good) and strong free throws (16/18, 89%). Nelson (Season PPG: 21.12, RPG: 5.89, AssPG: 4.33) led with 24 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists, repeatedly punishing contact. Inside, Clancy Rugg (Season PPG: 20.35, RPG: 9.50, AssPG: 2.94) added 21 on 7/10 2s. Hicks (14 pts) was sharp at the line (5/5) and inside (3/4 2s), while Ceman contributed 11 with two threes. From the domestic rotation, Rugg and Ceman complemented Nelson (26, 1.85m, USA) well; Corentin Cornu chipped in 8, including a pair of fourth-quarter threes and 3 steals.
Sparta shot well inside (22/38, 58% good) but struggled at the stripe (8/16, 50%) and from three (6/25, 24%). Iwuakor (26, 2.01m, USA; Season PPG: 20.29, RPG: 9.50) dominated in the paint at 9/12 on 2s but was held to 2/7 on free throws and picked up his third personal in the third quarter. Williams (Season PPG: 24.80, RPG: 6.04) added 18 and 7 boards. Among the domestic players, Max Logelin had 10 points, 6 rebounds but 7 turnovers; Yannick Verbeelen and Arendt (late three) added 8 and 3.
Esch also controlled the margins: rebounds 38-30, steals 12-6, turnovers just 10 to Sparta's 16, and 18 assists to 10. Coached by Franck Meriguet, the hosts have now won three straight. For Karl Abou Khalil's team, the third-quarter swing proved costly. Attendance: 190 (170 paying).
(AI generated)