AB Contern, now up to 1st place after a gain of two spots, took a 73-63 away win over Sparta Bertrange in a game that stayed close deep into the second half. Sparta remain 5th.
Contern began well and led 16-10 in the first quarter, but Sparta reacted with a 10-1 finish to close the period at 20-20. Coach Colin Braun's side then had its best stretch before halftime. After trailing 30-28, Sparta put together an 11-0 run to move ahead 39-30 and went into the break up 42-34. Chiara Sahaia Rasolofo (16, 1.70m) and Luisa Feyder (18, 1.72m) were central in that phase.
The turning point came in the third quarter. Sparta still held a 50-40 advantage, their highest lead, but Contern answered with 13 straight points to go in front 53-50. That run was shared by Zoé Moes (16, 1.75m), Lou Alliaume (18, 1.63m), Orélie Moes (16, 1.72m) and Julie Braun Silva (16, 1.76m). Sparta stopped the run, but only briefly, and the score was 53-52 for Contern entering the last quarter.
From 53-53 early in the fourth, coach Fabienne Fuger's team produced another decisive push, a 9-0 sequence that opened the gap, and Contern later stretched it to 66-55. Sparta never fully recovered.
Contern had strong balance with five players in double figures: Zoé Moes 15, Lou Alliaume 14, Joyce Alliaume (18, 1.63m) 12, Braun Silva 11 and Lisa Zoller (17, 1.78m) 10. Sparta had the game-high scorer in Rasolofo with 22, while Feyder added 12. Contern are now on a two-game winning run; Sparta have lost three in a row.
(AI generated)