AB Contern controlled the decisive middle part of the game and beat Basket Esch 76-59 after a balanced opening quarter. Esch led 18-17 after 10 minutes, with Eden Nibbelink (Season PPG: 14.00, RPG: 9.68, AssPG: 1.74) already setting the tone. The shift came early in the second period: Contern turned a 17-18 deficit into 31-20, a 14-2 run built around Stefanie Grace Kulesza (Season PPG: 20.83, RPG: 10.67, AssPG: 2.83), who scored 8 straight points in that stretch.
Fabienne Fuger's team reached halftime up 45-30 and never really let Esch back into the game. Contern added a 15-11 third quarter, with Esmeralda Skrijelj (Season PPG: 10.78, RPG: 9.94, AssPG: 10.44) directing play superbly. She finished with 11 points, 9 rebounds and 12 assists, very close to a triple-double.
Kulesza, the 23-year-old American forward, was the game's main force: 29 points, 10 rebounds, 3 steals, 3 assists, and an excellent 10/10 on 2-pointers plus 3/3 on free throws. Ana Petrova (Season PPG: 11.06, RPG: 6.78, AssPG: 3.89) added 16 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists, shooting a good 4/11 from three. Caileigh Ann Walsh (Season PPG: 24.33, RPG: 8.67, AssPG: 2.39) posted 15 points, 11 rebounds and 3 blocks.
Esch opened the fourth with 5 straight points from Nibbelink to trim the gap to 60-46, but Contern answered with a 9-0 burst and pushed the lead to 69-46, later reaching a highest margin of 24. Nibbelink still delivered 28 points and 13 rebounds, with an excellent 2/3 from deep, before fouling out. Kyra Coulon (Season PPG: 9.89, RPG: 2.25, AssPG: 1.15) supported with 14 points on a good 6/12 from two.
Statistically, Contern made the difference with good 2-point shooting (22/38, 58%), a 44-32 rebounding advantage, and 23 assists. Esch stayed in touch mainly through Nibbelink, but the 2/18 from three never helped Vincent Gevrey's side build a real comeback.
(AI generated)