In Berbourg, BBC East Side Pirates edged AB Contern 76-68 after a game of swings and late poise that keeps the Pirates atop the M-U14 Division 2: Phase 2 (5-0), with Contern now second at 3-2.
The opening quarter was tight (15-14). Coach Gilles Poos' team then authored a 12-2 second-quarter surge from 21-21 to 35-23, capped by a three from Nicolas Nestgen (Season PPG: 19.2), to take a 37-27 halftime lead. Contern answered after the break: Max Muller (Season PPG: 37.2) drilled back-to-back threes and powered a 24-14 third period to 51-51.
Early in the fourth, Contern went up 63-58 on a Muller five-point burst, but the Pirates responded decisively. Emil Denter (Season PPG: 25.0) hit a free throw and a basket, Nestgen buried a corner three, and the hosts strung together a 10-1 run to 68-64. From there, Stefan Jankovic (Season PPG: 19.8) calmly added points at the line and from mid-range, and Tim Focht sealed it late, completing an 18-5 close for BEP.
Jankovic (12, SRB) led the Pirates with 25, Denter added 21 (captain, later fouled out), and Nestgen had 20 with three triples. For Contern, Muller was outstanding with 44, including four threes, while Gabriel Rasque Schmitt (Season PPG: 11.1) scored 11 and Felix Zoller (Season PPG: 10.1) had 6.
Key moments: BEP's 12-2 second-quarter push, Contern's third-quarter comeback under coach Jeff Bevilaqua, and the decisive Pirates 10-1 swing midway through the fourth after trailing by five. BEP's trio of Jankovic, Nestgen and Denter were the match-winners in a close final period.
Form notes: East Side Pirates extend their winning streak to six. Contern, after seven straight wins earlier, are now on a two-game slide but remain firmly in the top two.
(AI generated)