Racing Luxembourg controlled BC Mess 59-44 in the W-U14 Division 3 Phase finale, reversing October's Phase 1 result (49-36 for Mess) with a composed, physical performance built on two-point scoring and timely runs.
Racing set the tone early (10-6 after Q1) and broke the game open in the second quarter with a 10-0 surge from 13-8 to 23-8, keyed by Julie Obertin (16 pts, 13 years) and the activity of Lily Jessica Walter (13 pts, 13, GBN). Mess answered with a 7-0 run to 23-15, but Racing still led 27-17 at halftime. Out of the break, coach Zanda Lace's team struck again: an 8-0 burst to 35-17 produced the night's largest lead (+18). Mess steadied and won the third quarter 17-15 behind Laura Meysembourg (10 pts, captain) and Flàvia Rodrigues Borracci (12 pts), trimming it to 42-34.
Any hopes of a late comeback were short-lived. Racing opened the fourth with a 6-0 push (Kaleda, Obertin, Walter) to re-establish double figures for good. Walter added two more baskets in that stretch, and Filomena Alicja Kaleda (13 pts, 13, LTU) kept finding lanes to the rim. Notably, Mess forward Kaly Bara (10 pts) fouled out, removing a key option during the closing minutes. There were no three-pointers made by either team; both sides relied almost exclusively on two-point field goals, with Meysembourg providing Mess's four free throws.
Top performers for Racing: Obertin (Season PPG: 12.11), Walter (Season PPG: 10.22), Kaleda (Season PPG: 4.71) and Elisa Berkhoff (10 pts; Season PPG: 6.44). For Mess: Rodrigues Borracci (Season PPG: 7.78), Meysembourg (Season PPG: 10.90) and Bara (Season PPG: 10.50).
In the standings, Racing climb to 3rd place (ranking gain +6) in the Phase finale, while Mess sit 4th. Racing are on a three-game winning streak; Mess have dropped two in a row after a four-win run. Coach Max Meysembourg's timeout in Q2 briefly halted momentum, but Racing's early-Q3 and early-Q4 runs decided the night.
(AI generated)