AB Contern B controlled this championship-round game for long stretches and beat Basket Esch B 79-61. The hosts are now 2-0 and stay 3rd in M-Division 1, while Esch B is 11th after its first game.
The game turned quickly in the opening quarter. Contern opened with a 7-0 run through Yann Besch (CONB) and Xavier Engel (CONB), then kept the pressure with Yann Fux (CONB) inside and in transition. At 16-5 and later 23-11, the home side already had a firm grip, finishing the first period 29-15.
Esch B reacted well in the second quarter. Jules Frédéric Neuen (LALB) gave them stability near the basket and in free throws, and the visitors cut the gap to 29-21. Contern did not lose control, though: Fux and Besch answered, and the lead was back to 11 at the break, 38-27.
The third quarter was Esch's best spell. Neuen (LALB) kept scoring, Laurent Tousch (LALB) hit from outside, and Antoine Kühn (LALB) added a late three to bring it down to 59-51. That made the game more open entering the last period.
The crucial moment came after Yannis Czerwonka (LALB) scored for 59-53. Contern then produced a decisive 20-5 surge to 79-58. Jérôme Kafer (CONB) was important in that phase, while Engel (CONB), René Wolzfeld (35, 1.92m) and Fux (CONB) finished possessions efficiently.
Top scorers were Fux with 21, Engel 16, Besch 14 and Kafer 13 for Contern. For Esch B, Neuen (LALB) stood out with 24, while Tousch had 9 and Marschal, Vidal and Czerwonka each added 8. Tousch also picked up a category 1 technical foul in the fourth quarter.
(AI generated)