Basket Esch edged Sparta Bertrange 67-63 in the M-U22 Qualifications at esch/ho4. After Sparta's first basket, Esch replied with an 8-0 burst capped by Malik Demirovic's first triple and Deni Sabotic's quick five points, and stretched the gap to 21-13 after 10 minutes. Dejan Pavlovic's team then broke the game open in the second period with perimeter shot-making from Demirovic and Fabien Vandler, plus a 3-and-2 sequence from Emmanuel Jesus Frederico (17, 2.00m, CPV), reaching a highest lead of 21 at 43-22 and a 43-24 halftime cushion.
Christophe Dubois' Sparta dominated the second half 39-24. Louis Evrard (20, 1.99m) powered a 10-2 run in the third with eight points in quick succession as the visitors trimmed it to 52-42. Early in the fourth, Sabotic added steady free throws, but Sparta kept coming: Nikolaos Papanikolaou hit two consecutive free throws and later a three, and when a Demirovic triple was annulled, the gap shrank to 61-59. Demirovic immediately answered with a two, Vandler buried a clutch three for 66-59, and Sabotic split late free throws to keep Esch in front. Evrard scored at 67-63, but time ran out. The winners were Basket Esch.
Esch's top scorers: Demirovic (Season PPG: 8.70) led with 19, fueled by five triples; Sabotic added 12 and timely fourth-quarter points; Vandler (Season PPG: 16.64) had 11 including three threes; KOUAMEDJOUO Noah (3 games) chipped in 7 with back-to-back threes. For Sparta, Evrard posted 21, Tom Germeaux (Season PPG: 19.43) 18 and a late surge, Papanikolaou (Season PPG: 9.38) 11, and Ata Tastekin 9. No one fouled out; Evrard and Papanikolaou navigated three fouls each.
Esch completes the head-to-head sweep after the 103-59 win in Bertrange. The victory ends Esch's four-game skid and keeps them 6th in the table. Sparta, still on a long losing streak, sits 7th (+1) after this round.
(AI generated)
Basket Esch