Sparta Bertrange B handled Résidence Walferdange B, 97-77, in the M-U16 Division 4 Phase finale at atert/central, riding a strong first half and a decisive third quarter. Résidence opened with a Valerio Gulli triple and led 4-10, but Sparta flipped the script with a 21-8 finish to the first (25-18) behind captain Simon Derwael-Thomsin and Vasileios Paspaltzis. The hosts kept control in the second (20-17) for 45-35 at halftime.
The game broke open after the break. Sparta authored a 10-0 run from 59-46 to 69-46 and closed the third at 73-51 (28-16 in the quarter). The lead peaked at +24 (77-53) early in the fourth. Résidence, guided by coach André Da Cruz, pushed late and edged the final period 26-24, fueled by a flurry from 14-year-old Matas Sendzikas (LTU), who poured in 15 in the fourth.
Individually, Sparta's balance told. Paspaltzis led with 26 (4 FTs, 8 twos, 2 threes), Derwael-Thomsin added 23 (11 twos, 1 FT), and Jakob Kavas Puc (15, SVN) chipped 16 (6 twos, 4 FTs). Jim Thiry's 11 rounded out the core. Résidence leaned heavily on Sendzikas, who erupted for 40 (13 twos, 3 threes, 5 FTs). Martin Sveda had 16 and Gulli 14 (including the early triple). Enis Bahi battled foul trouble, picking up two quick fouls to start the fourth and finishing with four.
Sparta made 11 free throws to Résidence's 8 and cashed key points at the stripe in the third (back-to-back makes by Paspaltzis). Coach Dimitrios Paspaltzis' group is now 2-0 and sits atop the Phase finale, extending a budding two-game winning streak after a difficult earlier stretch. Résidence is 0-2 but sits third in the standings (+3 places).
(AI generated)