Basket Esch overpowered Nitia Bettembourg 89-26 in Bettembourg, taking control from the opening tip. Coach Pierrette Birchen's side started 8-0, then strung together an 18-0 burst to lead 26-2 before closing the first quarter at 28-4. The visitors kept their foot down to a 43-11 halftime edge and broke the game open with a 26-6 third quarter behind a long LAL run from 47-13 to 65-15. The highest lead matched the final margin at +63.
Esch's scoring came in waves. Emma Muratovic (Season PPG: 12.13), just 11 years old, led with 20 points, while Diana Costa de Sousa (Season PPG: 15.00), 13 and Portuguese, added 14. Captain Jana Lucius (Season PPG: 10.00) had 16, including the game's lone three-pointer, and Maheva Monteiro Soares (Season PPG: 3.29) chipped in 11. Esch piled up 39 two-point field goals and 8 made free throws, with Mia Mischo scoring in quick succession in the first quarter and Yara Tavares Dias netting back-to-back baskets early in the second.
For Nitia, captain Chiara Terazzi (Season PPG: 11.71) fought for 15 points, supported by Sasha Pyée (Season PPG: 4.71) with 7 and Lara Wies (Season PPG: 2.00) with 4. Nitia managed 12 field goals and 2 free throws and couldn't sustain offense outside Terazzi's efforts. At times, Nitia's fouls came in a cluster Yara Tavares Dias committed two in a row early in Q2 disrupting any momentum.
Esch improves to 2-1 and climbs to second place, now on a two-game winning streak. Nitia slips to 1-2 and sits fourth, a second straight loss after an earlier five-game winning run. Coach Arnaud Pyée's team will look to reset in the next round.
(AI generated)