Zesummen Aktiv controlled the opener of the M-U18 Division 5 Phase finale in Mondorf, winning 46-35 behind a disciplined start and consistent scoring. Coach Angelo Monteiro's team set the tone with a 13-4 first quarter, then stretched the gap to 24-10 at halftime after an 11-6 second period. The visitors' best stretch came midway through the second quarter when they pushed the lead to a game-high 18 points (6-24).
Game flow favored ZAK early: Kevin Michaux opened with a 4-0 burst, Paul-Loïc Garin added a layup, Nathaniel Guth hit back-to-back twos, and Jeff Braun closed the first period with a three. After the break, Mondorf adjusted. Coach Nebojsa Nikolic freed 15-year-old Aleksa Savic (SRB; Season PPG: 4.0), who rattled off seven consecutive points in the third (two drives and a three) to trim it to 25-36. Each time MON threatened, ZAK steadied through Jim Braun (ZAK), who authored four field goals in that quarter to preserve a double-digit cushion. The hosts edged the fourth 10-7 Martin De Pinho Brandao (Season PPG: 4.67) and Daniel Mihaylov (16, BGR; Season PPG: 7.71) led that push but the margin stayed safe. A fourth-quarter technical on Ilan Ernzer reflected Mondorf's frustration rather than a turning point.
Top performers
- Zesummen Aktiv: Jim Braun (ZAK) 14; Kevin Michaux (ZAK) 10; Jeff Braun (Season PPG: 5.2) 9; Nathaniel Guth (ZAK) 6.
- Avanti Mondorf: Aleksa Savic (SRB; Season PPG: 4.0) 12 with two threes; Martin De Pinho Brandao 10; Daniel Mihaylov (Season PPG: 7.71) 8.
Form and table context: ZAK have stitched back-to-back wins after a long losing spell and climb to 3rd (+6). Mondorf slip to 5th (+1) and remain on a seven-game losing run. Monteiro's defense limiting MON to 10 first-half points was the bedrock, while Nikolic's halftime tweaks powered a more competitive second half.
(AI generated)