Arantia Larochette overpowered Sparta Bertrange 106-57 in the M-U22 qualifications at Nikibett/Central, controlling every quarter and turning a balanced opening into a rout with sustained runs. After Sparta briefly led 9-6 in the first, Arantia closed the period on a 9-0 surge to 24-15, sparked by captain Edson Rafael De Sousa Silva (19, PRT), who poured in 7 straight points in that stretch. Sparta captain Louis Evrard (20, 1.99m) was whistled for three personal fouls in the opening quarter, blunting the hosts' rhythm.
Arantia kept the pressure in the second quarter (25-15), with Lee Brosius (Season PPG: 12.0) and Noé Tibold (Season PPG: 22.11, 1.98m) adding steady scoring to send the leaders to halftime up 49-30. The decisive blow arrived after the break: from 39-53, Arantia ripped an 18-0 run to 71-41 and later added another 6-0 burst, with De Sousa Silva scoring on three consecutive possessions. An unsportsmanlike foul (U2) on Alan Genoud in the third did not slow the visitors.
De Sousa Silva led all scorers with 36, Brosius added 26 (three triples) and Tibold 17, while Lars Bosdijk contributed 9 off the bench. For Sparta, Théo Mc Leod (Season PPG: 21.29) fought to 19 points and Evrard posted 13, supported by Nikolaos Papanikolaou (Season PPG: 9.17) with 7.
Arantia head coach Vic Heuschling's side, who had edged Sparta 102-98 in the first meeting, completed a much clearer win this time and stay atop the standings (8-1). Sparta, coached by GeorgesVallery F. AmonAka, remain 7th (2-7) and are on a seven-game losing skid. Arantia extend their form with a fifth straight victory. The margin peaked at 49 points at the buzzer.
(AI generated)