Telstar Hesperange, 5th in the relegation group after this round, controlled this game from the start against 7th-placed Luxembourg Phoenix and took their third win in three meetings this season.
The key break came very early. After Oscar Khoury scored the first basket for Phoenix, Telstar answered through Gonzalo Muñoz Scharfenberg, then went on a 10-0 run from 2-2 to 12-2 with Lorenzo Ferrari at the line, Max Klepper inside and Jordan Kaboth finishing. That first quarter already set the tone at 11-21.
Coach Christophe Thil's team extended the gap before the break. Tom Roden scored 7 points in the second quarter, Ferrari hit from outside, and Niccolo Spagnoletti added a three as Telstar won the period 23-13 for a 44-24 halftime lead. Phoenix had some response from Joseph Zeidan Ep. Beaucourt and Dany Deaibes, but never put real pressure on the scoreboard.
The third quarter was the home side's best stretch. Khoury opened with 4 points in a row, Simone Buran hit from deep, and Deaibes followed with a three and later another point. Phoenix won no ground overall, though, because Telstar matched them at 15-15. Jamie Kappler then produced 5 consecutive points late in the quarter, pushing the margin back to 21 at 59-38.
The last period brought Telstar's highest lead, 30 points at 74-44, before the final 76-49. Telstar had balanced production: Muñoz Scharfenberg (27, ESP) finished with 14, Kappler (Season PPG: 12.47) had 12, Klepper (Season PPG: 13.32) and Roden (Season PPG: 6.70) scored 9 each, and Spagnoletti (Season PPG: 8.50) added 8. For Phoenix, Deaibes (25, LBN) led with 15, Khoury (Season PPG: 16.20) had 12 despite early foul trouble, and Zeidan Ep. Beaucourt (Season PPG: 8.71) scored 8.
(AI generated)