Racing Luxembourg took control in the middle quarters and beat Etzella Ettelbruck 86-74 in this M-U22 qualifications game. Racing, now 2nd after a gain of two places, also completed the season sweep against Etzella after the earlier 71-63 away win. It was also an important response for coach Uros Niksic's team after three straight defeats, while Etzella stayed 6th and slipped to a third loss in a row.
The start was balanced after an early Racing burst. Racing went up 9-2, but Etzella answered well through Oreoluwa Oke (Season PPG: 3.77) and captain Marvin Delgado dos Santos (Season PPG: 16.36), who helped bring the score back to 21-21 after one quarter.
The game turned in the second period. Etzella briefly moved ahead 23-21, yet Racing reacted with much more continuity. From 32-31, the home side produced a 14-3 run to 46-34, the key stretch of the evening. Angelo Caruso, the 19-year-old Italian guard (Season PPG: 20.29), was central in that phase, and Timothée Lahure, a 20-year-old 1.93m forward (Season PPG: 10.91), kept attacking inside.
Etzella did not disappear. Lou Clees (Season PPG: 18.70) was their main offensive engine with 23 points, and Lenny Lopes Morais (Season PPG: 4.58) added 15, including several third-quarter scores that helped cut the gap from 56-41 to 58-53. Oke also scored 6 straight points across that comeback phase. Still, Racing answered each push and led 68-61 going into the last quarter.
In the fourth, Etzella came within 7 at 72-65, but Racing answered again. Caruso scored 5 points in a row late, then Sarunas Sulcas (Season PPG: 10.25) hit a three to stretch it to 85-70, matching the game's highest lead at 15. Caruso finished with 26, Lahure had 18, Sulcas 15, and Aleksandar Babic (Season PPG: 10.08) added 10. For Etzella, Clees scored 23, Oke and Lopes Morais had 15 each, and Delgado dos Santos added 13. Lenny Lopes Morais fouled out in the fourth quarter.
(AI generated)