League leaders Kordall Steelers stayed unbeaten in M-U14 Division 4: Phase finale, beating Sparta Bertrange C 55-51 in a close game between the teams ranked first and third. KDS are now on a five-game winning streak, while Sparta saw a three-game winning run end.
Kordall imposed the first rhythm. They opened on an 11-0 run and built a game-high 13-point lead at 25-12 after dominating the first quarter 18-6. The 12-year-old French player Adham Asfarelouldidi (Season PPG: 12.57) scored repeatedly inside early, while Liam Jovanovic (Season PPG: 18.25) and captain Jayson Otiu (Season PPG: 13.57) kept the pressure on.
Sparta changed the game completely in the second quarter. Down 25-12, coach Tine Nagy's team answered with a 17-0 run to turn the score to 29-25 at halftime. Thor Wintersdorff (Season PPG: 9.75), Giovanni Vena (Season PPG: 10.17) and Raphaël Grieco (Season PPG: 12.00) were central in that stretch, with Sparta winning the period 23-7.
The third quarter swung back to KDS. After Sparta moved ahead 33-31, Kordall replied with a 12-2 burst and regained control at 43-39. Coach Arnaud Sirjean's side had major balance: Jovanovic, Otiu and Asfarelouldidi all finished with 17 points.
Sparta stayed in contact until the end. Vena brought it to 47-47, and Grieco tied again at 51-51. That was the last deadlock. KDS closed on a 4-0 sequence, with Otiu converting from the line and Jovanovic scoring the final basket. For Sparta, Vena scored 16, Wintersdorff 14 and Grieco 10. Otiu also handled four fouls, while Teng Yi Zahn did the same for Sparta.
(AI generated)