Etzella Ettelbruck took a close 77-71 road win at Résidence Walferdange in the M-U16 Division 1 final phase, a result that lifts ETZ one place to 3rd while RES stay 2nd.
The game turned several times. Etzella started on an 8-0 burst behind Bastian Torres and Seid Muratovic, but Walferdange settled and stayed within 21-18 after the first quarter. In the second period, Raul Birenbaum's team produced the best run of the home side: from 26-33 down, RES scored 11 straight points to move ahead 37-33. Etzella answered, yet Walferdange still held a narrow 42-40 lead at halftime.
The third quarter was the key swing. RES reached 59-55 after a three from Jokubas Toliusis, then Thierry Kremer's side answered with 8 unanswered points to flip the game to 63-59. That sequence gave ETZ control before the last period.
Early in the fourth, Toliusis cut it to 62-63, but Etzella managed the tight moments better. From 68-67, the visitors put together 7 straight points for a 75-67 advantage, their biggest lead after halftime. Walferdange got back to 71-75, but Muratovic closed it from the line.
Muratovic (Season PPG: 16.43) was the main difference-maker with 28 points, including 5 made free throws and 3 triples. Ben Schock (Season PPG: 16.32) added 14, while Gilles Schock (Season PPG: 15.89) scored 12 with three made threes. Lou Dos Santos finished with 9 and also committed three fouls in the last quarter without fouling out.
For RES, Nojus Banys (Season PPG: 20.29) and Ahti Ukura (Season PPG: 5.42) both scored 19. Toliusis (15, LTU) added 14, and captain Luis Leocadio Botelho (Season PPG: 8.94) had 12. Etzella now level the season series at 2-2 after losing the first two meetings and winning the last two in the final phase.
(AI generated)