6th-placed Basket Esch ended a five-game losing streak with a 57-54 home win over 4th-placed AB Contern, in a close game that reversed the trend of the season after Contern had won the previous three meetings.
Coach Fabienne Fuger's Contern had the better start. Zoé Moes and Lou Alliaume gave the visitors early control, and Contern led 16-11 after the first quarter. The gap reached 18-11 in the second period, with Lou Alliaume and Lisa Zoller keeping pressure on Esch. Coach Karim Elbaoune's team answered through Anaïs Gocel (Season PPG: 5.78) and 15-year-old Ajla Adrovic (Season PPG: 12.62), but Contern still held a 28-24 halftime lead.
The game turned after Contern's best moment. Early in the third quarter, the visitors went up 36-28, their highest lead. Basket Esch then changed the rhythm. Estelle Birnbaum (Season PPG: 9.21) scored 7 points in the third quarter, including 5 in a row for Esch across two possessions, and the home side trimmed the gap to 46-44 going into the last period.
The fourth quarter was decided by short runs. Laure Valentin and Birnbaum combined for a 5-0 burst to put Esch in front 49-46. After Contern answered, Ilaria Tuzze (Season PPG: 3.89) scored 4 points in a row, and Adrovic followed with two free throws for a 55-48 lead, Esch's biggest margin.
Contern stayed close behind 17-year-old Lou Alliaume (Season PPG: 9.56), who finished with 19 points and matched her season best. Zoé Moes (Season PPG: 13.67) added 10, and Lisa Zoller (Season PPG: 8.14) also scored 10, but her foul trouble ended with a foul-out late in the game. Esch's main scorers were Adrovic with 15, Birnbaum with 9, Tuzze with 8, and Valentin with 6. Contern cut the score to 57-54 late, but Basket Esch stayed in front.
(AI generated)