AS Soleuvre B edged Basket Esch C 73-63 after overtime in Zolwer/Scheierhaff, flipping a game that swung wildly in momentum. Esch controlled the first quarter 21-10, with early inside scores from Redzep Ramovic (Season PPG: 9.22) and steady trips to the line from Niksa Oroz (14, HRV; Season PPG: 17.57). Soleuvre answered with a 24-11 second period to lead 34-32 at halftime, driven by Louis Ferrai (Season PPG: 9.86) and captain Samuel Carvalho Ribeiro (15; Season PPG: 5.22).
Esch reasserted itself after the break, taking its largest lead at +12 (49-37) behind Ramovic and Enzo Neves Casemiro (14; Season PPG: 6.25), and entered the fourth quarter up 49-40. Moreno Tomasini (SOLB) then ignited the comeback with back-to-back threes to open the fourth, and despite Esch pushing ahead 60-56, Ferrai scored and Leo Loesch (Season PPG: 7.63) hit two free throws to force overtime at 60-60.
Overtime began with a Duarte Gonçalves Ponciano (Season PPG: 7.8) basket for 62-60, but Soleuvre unleashed an 11-0 run: Ferrai's free throws, a Loesch free throw, then Loesch drilling consecutive threes to break it open before Ferrai sealed it at 73-63. Loesch scored seven in OT, Ferrai finished with 23. Tomasini added 17, including the fourth-quarter surge; Loesch totaled 12; Carvalho Ribeiro had 13 before fouling out.
For Esch, Ramovic led with 18 but fouled out in OT; Oroz added 12; Neves Casemiro 11; Duarte 10. Esch's depth was tested as multiple players reached five fouls (including Oroz and Joao Carlos Dos Santos Vieira), while Soleuvre lost two, among them its captain late.
Team profile notes: Soleuvre's 5 made threes (to Esch's 0) and a 22-15 edge in made free throws underpinned the turnaround. Head-to-head this season now favors Soleuvre 2-0 on the court (69-59 in Phase 2). In the Phase finale table, Soleuvre moves to 3rd (+1) at 1-0, Esch remains 1st at 1-1 (3 classification points). Coach Pedro Jorge Escada Carvalho's group showed late-game poise; Roger Do Rosario's side led for long stretches but could not withstand the OT swing.
(AI generated)