Basket Esch B opened their M-U18 Division 5 Phase finale with a 67-56 home win over Sparta Bertrange C at esch/ho1, built on a strong second half after a shaky start. Esch jumped ahead 6-0 through captain Noah Schwarz, but Sparta closed the first quarter on a 12-0 run to lead 13-8.
Coach Richard Czerwonka's side steadied in the second period, sparked by Schwarz at the line and from midrange, and briefly took the lead before Sparta edged the half 25-24. The game turned after the break: down 26-29 following a Shervin Vandemoortele triple, Esch pieced together a 13-2 surge to 39-31, then protected a 47-40 cushion entering the fourth.
Early in the last quarter, Amar Feratovic (16, MNE) hit a three for 53-40 and Esch produced a decisive 9-0 burst (Sabotic, Feratovic, then five straight from Schwarz) to the night's largest gap at 62-44. Sparta reacted behind Thomas Boccara, who scored seven points in a row (2+2+3) to trim it to 62-51, and Vandemoortele added another triple, but Feratovic's late three settled it.
Top performers
- Basket Esch B: Noah Schwarz (Season PPG: 21.0) led all scorers with 25, including a key fourth-quarter three. Feratovic added 18 with two triples. Denis Sabotic and Yvan Boehm Pires chipped in 6 each; Eliaz Kaiser and Moris Czerwonka contributed timely baskets.
- Sparta Bertrange C: Thomas Boccara (Season PPG: 11.25) paced Sparta with 18 and that personal 7-0 run in Q4. Jazz Pelkes scored 10, Vandemoortele knocked down three triples for 9, and Mert Bugra Kuzu (16, NLD) added 8.
With this result, Basket Esch B start the championship round on top of the standings at 1-0, Sparta sit second at 0-1. Coach Isabelle Grainne Mulcahy's team showed early control and late fight, but Esch's third-quarter swing and fourth-quarter burst were the difference.
(AI generated)