Racing Luxembourg edged T71 Dudelange 98-92 at tramsschap/central after a swing-heavy contest that turned late. T71 absorbed an 11-3 home start, closed the first quarter up 22-20 and pushed the gap to a game-high +10 (38-28) in the second behind long-range shooting from Daris Honsic and Charel Brettner. Halftime: 50-46 for T71.
Coach Hristo Stoykov's side flipped the rhythm after the break. From 61-62 down, Racing stitched together a 9-0 burst Louis Cocard's five points, Sarunas Sulcas attacking the lane, and Stefan Stoykov finishing to seize a 70-62 cushion before T71 trimmed it to 70-67 entering the fourth.
The visitors answered with a 10-0 run to 80-73, sparked by Jonas Lies inside and Justin Lux at the line. T71 still led 92-88 after Honsic's free throw, but Racing authored the final word: Oskar Berger scored back-to-back baskets to tie (92-92), Yair Portal Levav (16) hit the go-ahead two, and Stoykov closed it with a drive and two free throws for a 10-0 finish. Those three were the game winners in a tight finish.
Production tells the story: Racing piled up 30 two-point field goals (8 threes, 14 free throws), while T71 leaned on perimeter volume (12 threes, 22 twos, 12 free throws). Stoykov (Season PPG: 22.0; 17, BGR) led all scorers with 32 and scored six late points in the closing stretch. Berger (Season PPG: 12.0; 17, SVN) added 17, Sulcas (Season PPG: 14.57; 17, LTU) had 15, Cocard (Season PPG: 14.0) 16 and the key third-quarter three, and Portal Levav chipped in 16 including a momentum-shifting triple in Q3 and the decisive basket in Q4.
For T71, Honsic (Season PPG: 13.7; 16, FRA) poured in 26 with five threes, Brettner (Season PPG: 21.0; 1.93m) had 19, Lux 14, Jesse Papa Müller 13 and Lies 12.
In the standings, Racing jumps to first place (4-1, ranking gain +3). T71 sits third (3-2) and is now on a two-game skid. Coach Tom Schumacher's team had the biggest lead (+10) and a strong fourth-quarter surge, but Racing's late 10-0 answered run settled it.
(AI generated)