Kordall Steelers B overturned a 20-point deficit to beat Basket Esch C 101-96 after overtime in a dramatic championship-round game in Esch. The hosts started fast: down 3-8 early, Esch ripped a 16-0 run to 19-8 and closed the first quarter 22-14, then managed the gap to lead 48-36 at halftime. The advantage peaked at 78-58 late in the third, with Darren Marschal (Season PPG: 17.64) piling up free throws and Raoul Burg erupting well above his norm (16 points vs Season PPG: 2.94).
Coach Timo Tani's side caught fire in the fourth. Back-to-back threes from Tani and Raphael Felix Kemmer (Season PPG: 13.5) sparked belief, Anderson Alix Borbon (32, 1.88m) kept getting downhill, and Noah Zucca (Season PPG: 21.33) added timely scores. A 10-0 closing punch capped by Kemmer's triple made it 89-89 and forced overtime. In the extra session, Esch struck first (91-89, then 94-91), but Borbon took over: he scored Kordall's final 10 points, turning 95-93 down into a 101-96 road win. Michal Robert Druzd, 18, also hit a key OT basket.
Top contributors
- Kordall: Borbon 37, Kemmer 23 (five threes), Tani 16 (Season PPG: 14.25), Zucca 16 before fouling out in OT.
- Esch: Marschal 25, Burg 16, Sven Reis 12. From the other group, Antoni Cimino (Season PPG: 9.45; 24, FRA) stepped up with 21.
Notable sequences included Esch's 16 unanswered in Q1 and Kordall's sustained fourth-quarter surge, punctuated by threes and free throws. Kemmer was also hit with multiple fouls in succession after his late equalizer. In OT, Yann Sowa (Season PPG: 11.89) fouled out for Esch, as did Zucca for Kordall, but Borbon's closing stretch decided it.
Kordall avenges the heavy first meeting (61-103) and climbs to 8th in the table (+3), while Esch sits 2nd (+1). Coach Raoul Burg's team led most of the night, yet Kordall's composure and shot-making down the stretch delivered the win.
(AI generated)