Etzella Ettelbruck won 82-76 at Deichwisen and takes a 1-0 lead in this best-of-5 finals series. In a close game, the key winners were Nicholas Davis and Philippe Gutenkauf.
Etzella started well with 4 early points from Davis, but Sparta quickly changed the flow. From 4-0 down, Sparta produced a 15-2 run to go 15-6 ahead, with Yannick Verbeelen and Victor Iwuakor giving strong offensive support, and the visitors led 23-19 after one quarter.
The second quarter was the first big turning point. After Sparta moved to 25-21, Etzella answered with a 16-4 surge for 37-29. Coach Gavin Love's team attacked much better inside, and Etzella went to halftime up 41-34. That efficiency was decisive all night: Etzella shot a good 85.7% on free throws and a good 61.9% on 2-pointers, even if the home side made only 2/21 from three. Sparta stayed in the game with 13 three-pointers and a good 35.1% from long range.
The third quarter stayed balanced. Jarvis Williams (Season PPG: 23.31, RPG: 6.68, AssPG: 2.34) kept Sparta alive, while Davis, despite foul trouble, continued to control the paint. Etzella entered the last quarter ahead 64-60.
Sparta still found another push, turning an 8-point deficit into a 73-72 lead in the fourth quarter. Then came the decisive sequence: Etzella answered with 10 straight points, and Philippe Gutenkauf (Season PPG: 17.07, RPG: 4.51, AssPG: 6.90) scored 8 of them himself. He finished with 18 points and an excellent 12/12 at the line.
Davis, the 25-year-old 2.01m American, was MVP with 28 points and 12 rebounds. Adrian Delph (Season PPG: 20.29, RPG: 6.48, AssPG: 3.40) added 16 points, 8 rebounds, 5 steals and 4 assists, while Billy Ray McDaniel Jr. added 13 points and 12 rebounds. For Sparta, Williams scored 26, Verbeelen hit 6 threes for 18, and Iwuakor delivered 14 points and 8 rebounds. Etzella has now won four games in a row.
(AI generated)