League leader T71 Dudelange stayed perfect with a sixth straight win, beating 4th-ranked Basket Esch 95-70, but the gap on the scoreboard came much later than the final margin suggests.
The first half was balanced. The opening quarter ended 21-21, with Basket Esch leaning on Jovana Jaksic (Season PPG: 14.17), who set the tone early and finished with 29 points. Lena Mersch (Season PPG: 8.80) and Eden Nibbelink (Season PPG: 12.17) helped Esch stay in front for long stretches, and the visitors were still up 39-36 in the second period. T71 closed the half better, though, with Catherine Mreches (Season PPG: 21.83) pushing her team to a narrow 46-45 lead.
The decisive moment came just after the break. From 46-45, T71 produced an 8-0 run: Lara Jemming opened with a three, then Shalonda Winton (Season PPG: 15.67) scored 5 points in a row. That sequence gave the home side real control. Basket Esch answered through Jaksic, but T71 kept building. Late in the third quarter, Beatriz Gomes Jordao (Season PPG: 10.60) scored 6 consecutive points as the lead moved into double digits, and the quarter ended 68-56.
Tom Schumacher's team then accelerated again in the last period. After Esch reduced the score to 74-60, T71 answered with an 8-0 burst, powered by Dana Wies and Mreches, to reach 82-60. Lauren Anne Van Kleunen (28, 1.88m, USA) gave T71 a strong inside presence all evening and finished with 20 points. Mreches added 24, Gomes Jordao 18, Winton 11 and Jemming 9. T71 had five scorers in double figures and reached a highest lead of 25 points.
(AI generated)