Basket Esch overpowered Etzella Ettelbruck 94-43 at Deichwisen/Central, breaking the game open late with a ruthless final quarter. The hosts stayed in touch early (12-18 after Q1) on the back of captain Jahleeon Nascimento's shot-making, but Esch's front line steadily imposed itself before halftime for a 24-40 cushion.
The second quarter was the first separator: Arthur Léo Pierre Colle (13, FRA) hit from deep and inside, while Lyan Gomes da Cruz ran the floor for easy twos. Nascimento (26 points; 7x2, 2x3, 6 FT; Season PPG: 29.43) kept ETZ scoring with a three and a string of free throws, but Etzella also hurt themselves when Lenn Dos Santos picked up two quick fouls mid-quarter. Q3 stayed competitive as Lenny Weber (7) drained a three and Nascimento answered Mathéo Muratovic and Lorenzo Vetro, yet Esch always had a reply.
The game flipped decisively in Q4. Rodrigo Pacheco Reis (15; Season PPG: 16.09) opened with seven points in a row, igniting a 35-4 period. After ETZ's lone baskets from Nascimento and Weber, Esch closed with a 20-0 run ten straight made two-pointers to finish at a game-high 51-point margin. Muratovic led Esch with 21 (10x2, 1 FT; Season PPG: 17.63), Colle added 16 with two threes (Season PPG: 12.55), and Gomes da Cruz had 14. Nohan Fernandes Semedo (9) and Berin Hajdarpasic (6) added depth scoring.
Coach Raouf Riahi's side spread the offense: 42 made two-pointers, 2 threes and 4 free throws. Coach Dragana Zoric's ETZ leaned heavily on their captain; beyond Nascimento and Weber, support was limited, though Mustafa Inal (13, TUR) and Marc Liam Hetto chipped in four each.
With this result, Basket Esch move up to 2nd in M-U14 Division 2: Phase 2 (3-2), while Etzella sit 3rd (2-3). Esch have now strung back-to-back wins.
(AI generated)