T71 Dudelange B opened the M-Division 2 championship round with a 69-60 home win over AS Soleuvre C and moved into 1st place, while Soleuvre C is 6th after game 1.
The game stayed competitive for a long stretch. Soleuvre struck first, but T71B quickly answered through Fabian Agbodenou (21, 1.80m), who came in early and scored 6 points in a row on two three-pointers to give the home side momentum. T71B edged the first quarter 16-15, with captain Arnaud Menu (26, FRA) already active as a scorer.
Soleuvre briefly went back in front at the start of the second period, 17-16, and kept contact behind Pit Heinz (33) and Tom Lahure (46). T71B then rebuilt control with inside scoring from Menu and support from Laurent Schmitz (34) and Damian Bucin (25), reaching halftime ahead 32-28.
The third quarter was important. Agbodenou opened it with another three and then added 5 straight points, helping T71B create separation. Soleuvre still had a strong stretch when Lahure scored 7 consecutive points, cutting the gap to 45-39, but Agbodenou answered again and T71B carried a 48-39 lead into the last quarter.
Soleuvre made one more push with a 6-0 run early in the fourth, from 48-39 to 48-45, through Charel Plumat (29), Julien Kuhn (26) and Tim Geiben (33). That was the key moment of the game. T71B reacted immediately: Schmitz scored 6 points in a row, and the home team later extended the margin to 12, its highest lead, at 66-54 and again at 69-57.
Agbodenou finished as the game's top scorer with 28 points, including six three-pointers. Menu added 16 and Schmitz 13. For Soleuvre, Lahure had 18, Heinz 17 and Carlos Jordy Borges (25) 10. Coach Idris Kader's team managed the decisive moments better in the second half.
(AI generated)
T71 Dudelange B