Rebound Préizerdaul edged BBC Dikrich 71-67 in Bettborn in a tight Phase finale contest. Coach Nadine Lepage's team burst out 8-0 and led 20-13 after the first, but the second quarter swung hard to Dikrich (10-25) as 12-year-old Michele LAFORGIA (ITA) took over. He poured in 12 points in that stretch to give BBC Dikrich a 30-38 halftime lead, their largest margin (+8). Préizerdaul trimmed it to 45-51 after three, despite sliding into serious foul trouble.
Préizerdaul's fourth-quarter push decided it. Trailing 56-62, the hosts stitched together a 6-0 run to tie at 62-62. Ivan Adriano Muller drilled a three for 65-62, only for LAFORGIA to answer from deep (65-65). Muller scored again (67-65), LAFORGIA replied (67-67), and then Guilherme Filipe Marques Casqueira delivered the game-winners: two straight baskets for 71-67, sealing it for PRE.
Top performers - PRE: Guilherme Filipe Marques Casqueira (20) powered the comeback with 10 made two-pointers and the final four points. Maxime Hengen added 19 (nine 2s, one FT) and kept scoring when it mattered, while Jaylen Joseph Simoes Marbes (17) set the early tone with eight 2s and a free throw. Muller contributed 7, including that pivotal fourth-quarter triple, and Stella Fantini hit two threes (6).
Top performers - DIE: LAFORGIA authored a massive 41-point night (17 two-pointers, one three, four free throws) and scored 11 in the last quarter trying to hold off the rally. Mathis Kesseler added 14 (five 2s, four FTs), and captain Louis Dichter scored 7.
Crucial context and moments: PRE once led by 10 (20-10) before surrendering momentum in Q2. They closed with a 26-16 final period despite losing key pieces to foul trouble late in the third: Simoes Marbes (17) and captain Charel Wolsfeld both fouled out after piling up whistles in quick succession. Coach Rui Brito's side had overturned a heavy loss earlier this season (82-28 for PRE in Phase 2) with a far more competitive display, but came up just short in the final exchanges.
Standings impact: Préizerdaul climbs to 2nd in the Phase finale table (ranking gain +2), while Dikrich slips to 3rd (-1). After a run of defeats, PRE get an important win.
(AI generated)