The clash between the two leading teams changed the table in M-U16 Division 4 Phase 1. Nitia Bettembourg won 83-76 at Basket Esch B, moved up to 1st place and stretched its run to five straight wins. Basket Esch B dropped to 2nd after a 4-0 start.
The game began evenly at 18-18, with Colin Real Schneider (LALB) and Abriel Adam (LALB) giving Esch early scoring, while Ewen Man-Fei Leung (Season PPG: 30.60) answered quickly for Bettembourg. The turning point came in the second quarter. From 18-18, Nitia produced a 13-0 run to 31-18 and took firm control. Leung was already on a roll there, and Diogo Barbosa Conte (Season PPG: 11.00) added important baskets in the same stretch. Bettembourg won the quarter 24-10 and led 42-28 at halftime.
Esch reacted well after the break. Adam (LALB), 15, scored steadily, Lorenzo Vetro (LALB) attacked inside, and the home side cut the gap from 28-44 to 45-50. That was Esch's best phase. But Nitia answered before the end of the third quarter with another strong push, going from 50-54 to 68-54. Leung kept the scoreboard moving, Yohannes Thomas Michael (Season PPG: 13.80) hit from long range, and Barbosa Conte finished plays efficiently.
The visitors reached their highest lead at 19 points in the fourth quarter, 75-56, and still led 80-64 later on. Esch kept fighting and closed with a 12-3 finish, powered by Adam's 20 points and Schneider's 17, but the gap was too large.
Leung made the biggest difference with 39 points, supported by Barbosa Conte's 16 and Michael's 11. For Esch, Adam led with 20, Schneider added 17, and Vetro contributed 9.
(AI generated)