T71 Dudelange edged Basket Esch 78-73 in a close U22 clash at grimler/central, completing a 2-0 sweep of the season series. The hosts controlled the first half (39-32), but Esch flipped the script with a strong third quarter (27-14), taking their largest lead at +8 (59-51) behind Fabien Vandler and Matt Jaeger.
The fourth quarter belonged to T71. After falling behind 64-68, Coach Laurent Schmitz's team strung together a 6-0 burst (free throws from Uros Malesevic and Len Guedes) to move 70-68 ahead, then closed on a decisive 14-5 run. Nils Schroeder delivered the key blows with 5 points in a row in the final two minutes (a two and a three), pushing the game to 78-72. Malesevic (1.95m, 19) steadied the hosts repeatedly at the line and from mid-range.
Malesevic led all scorers with 31 points (Season PPG: 19.75) and Schroeder added 18 (Season PPG: 13.56). Karim Chakir chipped in 10, including two timely threes, while Guedes had 8. For Esch, Vandler posted 19 (Season PPG: 17.20) before fouling out at 68-68 an inflection point in the final quarter. Luka Stankovic scored 16 (Season PPG: 11.57), Jaeger 12 (Season PPG: 8.29), and Raphaël Cessat (19, FRA) 12, highlighted by his early fourth-quarter push. Esch's momentum in Q3 included an 11-1 run sparked by Vandler and Jaeger, but late foul trouble hurt; Malik Demirovic committed three fouls in a row during the fourth.
T71 are on a four-game winning streak and climb to 4th (5-4). Esch stay 6th (3-7) and slide to a three-game losing run. Coach Dejan Pavlovic's team had the game in hand late in the third, but T71's composure at the line and clutch shot-making especially Schroeder's late five straight made the difference.
(AI generated)