US Heffingen overpowered Sparta Bertrange C, 73-39, in the Phase finale round-robin in Heffingen. The hosts, coached by Andrej Gruskovnjak, set the tone with a 25-4 first quarter built on quick scores from Deivys Almeida Monteiro and a dominant inside-out burst by Mett Dostert. Sparta responded in the second period (11-14) through captain Giacomo Bernardo Spreafico and Samuele Mondello, but Heffingen still led 36-18 at the break.
The decisive stretch arrived after halftime: from 41-22, Heffingen strung together a 12-0 run to 53-22, largely driven by Dostert with a mix of a three, free throw and multiple finishes, plus a Diego Vaz Pereira layup. Heffingen's highest lead matched the final +34 margin.
Top performers
- Heffingen: Mett Dostert (38; Season PPG: 7.82) was unstoppable, adding a late three in the fourth. Diego Vaz Pereira (14) chipped in 15, including back-to-back free throws in the first quarter and steady scoring after the break. Captain Deivys Almeida Monteiro (Season PPG: 9.0) hit three triples for 11 points, while Michael Hostert (Season PPG: 3.86) added 6.
- Sparta: Spreafico (14; Season PPG: 11.0) led the way but later fouled out in the fourth. Mondello (11; Season PPG: 3.9) supported, with Ozan Donmez (13, TUR) and Victor-Paul Gheorghe (15, ROU) scoring 5 apiece.
This win marks Heffingen's break from a long losing run earlier in the season after heavy defeats to the same opponent (108-18 and 100-42). In the standings, Heffingen climbs to 2nd (+2), while Sparta slips to 3rd (-1). Coach Frédéric François Agelan's side briefly steadied the game in Q2, but Heffingen's third-quarter surge decided it.
(AI generated)