Basket Esch controlled T71 Dudelange 79-54 in the W-U16 Division 1 Phase 2 championship round, reversing the narrow Phase 1 meeting that T71 had edged 68-66. Karim Elbaoune's team set the tone with a 28-17 first quarter, driven by Kim Ferron and Lana Clausi at the rim and Ajla Adrovic from deep. Esch kept the pressure in the second period behind Adrovic's repeated finishes to reach halftime at 49-30.
Esch opened the second half with Adrovic scoring six straight points (two free throws and a basket) to stretch it to 53-30. Yves Marchi's side answered with a 9-1 burst sparked by Shari Von Arx and Jana Dos Santos Dramicannin to trim it to 54-39, but Esch steadied and closed the third up 65-44. Early in the fourth T71 got within 65-48, before Esch slammed the door with an 8-0 run to 76-50 (Clausi, Adrovic, then Ferron's three and a layup), pushing the largest lead to 28.
Esch's trio did most of the scoring: Adrovic 26 (Season PPG: 17.43), Ferron 21 (Season PPG: 18.00) and Clausi 18 (Season PPG: 14.56), with Estelle Birnbaum adding 11 (Season PPG: 16.57). The hosts hit five threes (Ferron and Birnbaum two each, Adrovic one) and converted 12 free throws.
For T71, Dos Santos Dramicannin posted 12 (Season PPG: 11.10) before fouling out late, Von Arx (15) had 11 (Season PPG: 11.67), Matilde Pego Pinto 9 (Season PPG: 9.29) and Ghalia Hatim 8. Katarina Barbic (14, HRV) scored after the break, while the team totaled three made threes.
With this win Esch climbs to 2nd in Phase 2 (+1) at 4-1, while T71 slips to 3rd (-1) at 3-2. Game evolution: Esch by +11, +8, +2, +4 by quarter consistent control, capped by late separation.
(AI generated)