T71 Dudelange B edged AS Soleuvre 56-52 at grimler/central in W-Nationale 2, taking a second head-to-head this season after the 50-43 win in Soleuvre. Coach Yves Marchi's team started fast: Julie Poncin (Season PPG: 3.25) set the tone with 10 first-quarter points, and T71 jumped to 17-4 and 22-10 after 10 minutes.
Coach Pedro Jorge Escada Carvalho's side answered with a 12-0 second-quarter run. Kimberley Mencler (Season PPG: 4.75) strung together three baskets in a row, trimmed it to 24-22, before Elsa Guedes (Season PPG: 12.00) and Liza Thurmes steadied T71 for a 32-23 halftime lead.
Soleuvre opened the third with an 8-0 burst to 32-31, but 16-year-old Laure Bignoli (Season PPG: 3.14) flipped the momentum. She poured in 10 points across a key stretch, scoring 10 of T71's next 12 to push it out to 48-36 late in the quarter. Guedes added timely free throws and mid-range scores in that spell.
The visitors weren't done. They started the fourth 6-0 (48-44) and later closed to 52-50 behind Aline Rocha (Season PPG: 7.93) and captain Daiane Tavares (19, PRT; Season PPG: 11.38). In the clutch, Guedes hit a vital basket for 54-50, and Liv Schroeder sealed it at 56-52 in the final minute. Mencler's three quick fouls in the closing sequence slowed Soleuvre's interior push.
Top performers
- T71 Dudelange B: Bignoli 16, Guedes 15, Poncin 13; Soraia Mota Dias added 6.
- AS Soleuvre: Rocha 16, Tavares 16, Leonor Camara (Season PPG: 8.56) 8, Mencler 8.
T71B are the game winners in a close one, ending a five-game skid and moving up to 11th (+1) at 4-12. Soleuvre, despite repeated comebacks, remain 13th at 1-15.
(AI generated)