Entente RES AMI controlled Etzella Ettelbruck 69-60 in the Phase finale round-robin, reversing the Phase 1 result (ETZ 77-68). After a slow start (down 1-9 as Lenny Lopes Morais strung together six early points), ERA closed the first quarter on an 11-2 run to lead 15-13. Coach Thorsten Freiheit's team then stretched the gap in the second period with perimeter blows from Illia Malkin and Aurel Nicula and steady inside work by Kristupas Zilionis (17, LTU), reaching 35-22 before halftime (35-26 at the break).
The third quarter was balanced (14-14), with David Lichy adding key mid-range baskets. ERA seemed to break it open at the start of the fourth: an 8-0 burst (Malkin 3, Riley Wohl 2, Tim Geisen 3) pushed the lead to a game-high +17 (57-40). Coach Nelson Delgado's side answered late Charel Wilmes drilled three fourth-quarter triples to trim it to 67-60 but Wohl delivered the late buckets that sealed it.
ERA's balance told: Wohl (Season PPG: 11.14) scored 16, Geisen 15 (three triples), Malkin 13 (two triples), Lichy 12 (4 free throws), and Zilionis 8. ETZ leaned on Lopes Morais (19; Season PPG: 17.92) and Noah Wolter (13; Season PPG: 15.62), with Wilmes adding 14 on four threes and Gilles Schock 6 from deep; Stéphane Rocardo Silva (17, AGO) also hit from long range.
Team totals underline the difference: ETZ hit more threes (8) than ERA (7), but ERA dominated inside (19 two-pointers to 15) and at the stripe (10 made free throws to 6). The result lifts ERA to 3rd in the standings (ranking gain +3), while ETZ sits 4th and is now on a two-game skid. ERA, after back-to-back losses, returned to winning ways.
(AI generated)