Nitia Bettembourg B, now 2nd in M-Division 2 at 1-1, beat 5th-ranked Sparta Bertrange C 62-43 after a game that was competitive for almost two quarters before the hosts pulled away. Sparta, now 0-2, started better: Kevin Andrade Alves (35) scored the first 4 points and Bertrange went up 8-2. Bettembourg answered calmly, and the first key swing came late in the opening period, when the home side closed on an 8-0 run from 8-11 to 16-11.
The game stayed tight in the second quarter. Sparta cut it to 18-17 and later tied at 22-22 behind Max Flies (35) and Danny Weivers (40). Bettembourg reacted again with a 6-0 burst to 28-22, taking a 28-24 lead into the break.
The decisive phase came in the third quarter. After Sparta got within 30-27, Bettembourg produced another strong spell, stretching the margin to 38-27 and then 45-34. Jonathan Mechin's side kept control through Luc Becker (36), who led all scorers with 18 points, while David Picco (31) added 12 and Joël Pompei (35) scored 10. Elvin Muhovic (30) gave useful support with 7.
Philip Groff's team still opened the fourth with a basket for 46-39, but Bettembourg immediately answered with a 6-0 run and later an 8-0 run, creating its biggest lead at 19 points. The last quarter, won 16-6 by the hosts, settled the game.
For Sparta, Flies was the main threat with 14 points and four 3-pointers. Andrade Alves added 10, Weivers had 7, and Florian Loic Strauch (31, DEU) finished with 6. Bettembourg's defensive control after halftime was the main separator.
(AI generated)