Sparta Bertrange opened their W-U14 Division 2 Phase finale with a 65-44 home win over Nitia Bettembourg at Nikibett/Central, moving to the top of the round-robin (1st, +2), with Nitia in 2nd (+3).
Game evolution
- Q1: After a balanced start (9-11), Sparta closed the quarter with an 8-0 burst to lead 17-11.
- Q2: Nitia, guided by coach Arnaud Yves Gilbert Pyee, edged the period 13-10, trimming the gap to 27-24 at halftime.
- Q3: Laurent Cames' team broke the game open with a 12-0 run out of the locker room to 39-24 and built a 49-26 cushion.
- Between late Q3 and early Q4, Nitia answered with 14 straight points (49-40), their best spell, before Sparta closed on a 16-4 run to the final buzzer. The 21-point margin at the end was the largest lead.
Key players
- Sparta: Anaé Sacaze (Season PPG: 19.44) powered the win with 32 points on 13 made 2-pointers and 6 free throws, including back-to-back free throws twice during momentum swings. She managed foul trouble (4). Stéphanie Stoeva (Season PPG: 7.67) added 15 (seven 2s, one FT), and Eshetha Thokala (Season PPG: 2.67) chipped in 10. Alicia Marie Frias Beaudoin (11, ESP) contributed an important 4 off the bench.
- Nitia: Captain Chiara Annie Jeanne Terazzi (Season PPG: 12.11) kept her side in it with 21 points (8 two-pointers, 5 FTs), and Tonia Rodesch (Season PPG: 5.88) scored 12.
Discipline and swings
Nitia's foul trouble mattered at key moments: Nadine Kabbah committed two quick fouls in a row in Q1 and finished with four; Inga Eudier had consecutive fouls in Q3; Pia Stephany picked up back-to-back fouls early in Q4. No player fouled out.
Form notes
Sparta had endured a rough stretch earlier in the season but arrived off a win and started the finale strongly. Nitia's loss extends their current slide to four games.
(AI generated)