Basket Esch D edged Telstar Hesperange E, 69-63, in a close M-Division 4 championship-round game in Esch, leveling the season series after Telstar's 55-41 win in October. The result nudges Basket Esch D up to 6th in the table (+1), while Telstar sit 3rd (+2).
Game evolution mattered. Telstar started sharper, leading 20-16 after the first quarter. Basket Esch flipped momentum with a 12-1 surge early in the second, built around Noah Schwarz's repeated finishes and a Yannis Czerwonka triple, to go up 30-21 before taking a 31-29 halftime edge. In the third, veteran Raouf Riahi (44) hit a timely three for 39-33, but Telstar answered at the line: Alec Paul Jacques Goedert strung together free throws to pull it back to 45-44 entering the fourth.
The final period swung both ways. Telstar briefly moved in front 50-52, only for Yannis Czerwonka (Season PPG: 16.8) to knock down two big threes that restored the hosts' lead at 55-52. Down the stretch, Telstar were up 63-62, but Basket Esch closed with a decisive 7-0 run. Richard Czerwonka drew contact for points at the line, and after an unsportsmanlike foul on Marcel Rehak, Schwarz added two more free throws to seal it. Highest lead belonged to Basket Esch at +9 (30-21).
Top performers:
- Basket Esch D: Noah Schwarz (Season PPG: 20.14) poured in 28 points and, at just 18, carried key stretches in Q1 and late in Q4. Yannis Czerwonka added 18 with three triples, while Eliaz Kaiser (Season PPG: 6.4) chipped in 9. Riahi's third-quarter three was a momentum play.
- Telstar Hesperange E: Goedert (Season PPG: 19.11) matched the night's best with 28, fueled by persistent trips to the line. Marcel Rehak (46, SVK) had 12, Gil Roden (29) added 7, and Mike Bausch (Season PPG: 7.2) 5.
Player-coach Richard Czerwonka managed the finish well for Basket Esch, while Gilbert Pividor's Telstar slide to three straight defeats. In a tight game, Basket Esch D were the late-game winners.
(AI generated)