Racing Luxembourg defeated US Heffingen 61-52 in the W-U16 Division 3 Phase finale, turning a 42-42 deadlock after three quarters into a controlled win with a decisive final period (19-10). Coach Wojciech Daniel Kubis' team burst out 6-0 through Margaux Marie Brun, Viktoriia Lukianenko and Emma Peccati, but Heffingen steadied and even edged Q1 (13-14) thanks to a late personal run by Sarah Bender, who scored Heffingen's last six points of the period. Racing clawed ahead 27-25 at the half.
The third quarter swung back and forth: Racing pushed to 40-34, before Heffingen replied 6-0 (free throws and a basket from Lena Kugener, then Bender) to 40-40 and 42-42 at the buzzer. From 44-44 early in the fourth, Racing authored the defining surge: Brun's three made it 47-44, Lukianenko added inside touch for 49-44, and an 8-0 burst later (Peccati, two calm free throws by Kotryna Pakstyte, then Lukianenko) stretched the gap to 57-46, the night's largest lead (+11). Heffingen trimmed it to 57-52, but Peccati and Ema Regina Zajc closed it out.
Top performers Racing: Emma Peccati (18 pts; Season PPG: 12.70), Viktoriia Lukianenko (17; Season PPG: 9.88; 15, UKR) and Margaux Marie Brun (13; Season PPG: 3.88) drove the offense, with Julie Obertin (13) adding timely points. Heffingen: captain Sarah Kugener (10; Season PPG: 8.78), Emma Koenig (9; Season PPG: 4.13, while managing four fouls), Sarah Bender (9; Season PPG: 4.25) and Josephine Jensen (8; Season PPG: 4.29; 14, DEU) led the reply.
Racing also avenged December's 38-48 loss to Heffingen. In the standings, Racing climbs to 4th (+1) at 1-2, while Heffingen drops to 5th (-1) at 0-3, now on a four-game losing streak. Coach José Alberto Pais Costa's side fought back multiple times but couldn't match Racing's late run.
(AI generated)