Third-ranked Basket Esch controlled this W-U16 Phase finale game from the first quarter and beat fourth-ranked AB Contern 80-46, without any change in the table: Esch stays 3rd at 5-1, Contern 4th at 2-4. It was also Esch's third win in three meetings with Contern this season, while Contern is now on a three-game losing run.
The start was still competitive. Contern led 5-2 after Kadija Macalou and captain Céline Kerschen scored, but Esch reacted quickly. After Lys Valentin tied with a three, coach Karim Elbaoune's team closed the first quarter on a 17-4 stretch for 22-11. Estelle Birnbaum scored two threes in a row in that sequence, and Lana Clausi already gave Esch steady inside scoring.
The second quarter followed the same pattern. Contern came back to 24-13 and later 26-16, but Esch answered each time. Clausi, Kim Ferron and Anaïs Gocel pushed the home side to 44-23 at halftime. Gocel (Season PPG: 17.17) was very efficient around the basket, while Clausi (Season PPG: 15.31) kept punishing Contern's defense.
The decisive break came after the interval. Esch won the third quarter 20-8 and stretched the margin from 21 to 33 points. Ajla Adrovic opened that period with two free throws and a basket, and Esch's defense limited Contern to Julie Braun Silva and Emily Quirke for most of the reply.
At 64-31 entering the fourth, the game was already decided. The highest lead reached 34 points. Esch still had balanced production, with Clausi finishing on 21, Gocel 14, Birnbaum 12 and Ferron 12. For Contern, Braun Silva (Season PPG: 23.33) led with 15, Quirke (15, IRL; Season PPG: 12.47) added 12, and Sofia Nunes Lopes scored 9. Ferron and Valentin each had phases of foul trouble, but neither side lost a player on fouls.
(AI generated)