T71 Dudelange B edged Arantia Larochette 62-56 in Larochette, a tight Championship Round game decided in the final minute. The result lifts T71 B to the top of the M-U14 Division 3 Phase finale (2-2), with Arantia now second (also 2-2).
Arantia started better, closing the first quarter on a 10-2 surge for 17-12, sparked by back-to-back baskets from Jang Hoffmann and a steady Rui Carlos Silva. The hosts stretched their largest lead to +7 twice in the second (21-14 and 24-17) through Sam Göhlhausen's inside work, but T71 stayed close. Dany Teixeira Mendes strung together four points late in the half to trim it to 28-26.
Momentum swung repeatedly after the break. Lorenzo Ethanaël Magoum (Season PPG: 14.73) briefly put T71 ahead, Ben Welter answered with two quick buckets for 34-32, and Adriano Coelho Gomes (Season PPG: 8.78) replied as T71 carried a 43-42 edge into the fourth.
The final period delivered the decisive sequence. After Welter's back-to-back scores tied it at 55-55, T71 produced a 7-0 run: Lou Gonner hit 1+2 to restore the lead, then Coelho and Magoum added key baskets. A late technical on Silva came in that stretch and didn't help Arantia's cause. Göhlhausen split a free throw at the end for 56-62.
For the winners, Magoum's 21 points were the difference, supported by Coelho's 12 and Nikola Bugarski's 10 (Season PPG: 6.09), the 12-year-old Serbian also adding a steady fourth quarter. Jim Resl (7) delivered a personal 5-point burst (2+1) in the last period, while Gonner's 6 included the clutch 1+2 that broke the tie. Coach Carlo Müller's team showed late-game composure, a welcome sign after a stretch of losses earlier in the season.
Arantia's leaders were Silva with 18 (Season PPG: 15.07), Göhlhausen 13 (Season PPG: 13.82), Welter 10 (Season PPG: 9.58) and Hoffmann 8 (Season PPG: 5.9). Coach Pit Hoffmann's side controlled long spells and led by seven in the second quarter, but T71's closing run proved decisive.
(AI generated)