AS Soleuvre B controlled Luxembourg Phoenix 80-65 in the return leg of the round-robin, building a decisive lead early and managing the finish. After trailing 11-12 late in the first, Soleuvre strung together an 8-0 burst to 21-12 and closed the quarter 23-14. The game broke open across the first minutes of the second period: a 12-0 run carried the hosts from 23-14 to 35-14. Halftime read 41-22.
Captain Tom Lahure set the tone and pace. He poured in 24 points, including a personal 7-0 run in the third quarter (two threes and a free throw) that pushed the biggest gap to 56-30, the night's high lead at +26. Around him, Luca Ippolito (16) was steady in the lane, while Romain Amaral (11) and Carlos Jordy Borges (11) added timely scoring. Julien Kuhn (Season PPG: 3.0) chipped in 8. Coach Tom Lahure's side kept Phoenix at arm's length despite a choppy fourth quarter.
Phoenix's response came late, winning the last period 27-20. François Tegho (Season PPG: 21.22) caught fire for 15 fourth-quarter points and finished with 29 overall, repeatedly getting to the line and hitting from deep. Elia Moussa (Season PPG: 11.67; 35, LBN) added 17, and Simone Buran (Season PPG: 17.43) had 11. Tegho navigated foul trouble (four fouls) to stay on the floor. A tense spell in the fourth saw an exchange of technicals, and coach Hichem El Basri received a bench technical.
Soleuvre move up to 4th (+1) in the standings and halt a four-game losing skid. Phoenix remain 8th and continue a long losing streak. The quarter split 23-14, 18-8, 19-16, 20-27 captures the game's evolution: a dominant first half, a consolidation in the third, and a late but insufficient Phoenix push.
(AI generated)