Men's team loses in the last quarter

First gameday after a long break. Yesterday, our Senior team played against Etzella Ettelbruck in front of 300 people in a "Corona sold out" Centre Atert. Our team trailed quickly in the game by 5-7 points. Etzella led by 5 after 10 minutes (20-25). Our pro players had trouble to find their rhythm in the first half and it was a lineup with partly only local players, that came back from minus 9 and took the lead by 8 with a 19-2 run in the last 4 minutes of the second quarter. Our young team showed that they gained a lot of experience over the last years and weeks and offered some great collective basketball. At halftime, Sparta led 46-38.

In the third quarter, Sparta could control the game and always answered well when Etzella scored 2 or 3 baskets in a row. Here it were again Feipel, Arendt, M Wolff, Verbeelen and Wellian that took responsibility and combined for 18 points in the 3rd. (64-55)

In the last quarter, Sparta controlled the game until the 35th minute, where a 3 point shot of a very strong Etzella pro player Pwono brought them back in the game (71-67).

Sparta's young guys started to struggle a bit on both ends of the floor and Etzella could take the lead. Coach Meurs brought back both pro players but they could also not change the momentum and so Etzella could win it in the last quarter 85-80.

All in all a solid performance of our team, which played with a lot of heart and energy. It is now important to improve the mistakes of this game and be ready for the important double weekend next week, which starts on Friday against T71 (@Dudelange) and end on Sunday in Atert against Heffingen.

Here 2 statements of Coach Pascal Meurs and Philippe Arendt.

Pascal Meurs: After the game, obviously everybody was very disappointed. If you're +10 with 5 minutes to play, you have to win the game. The fact that we obviously need more time to integrate our two professionals shouldn't surprise anybody after the preparation we had. But besides that, I think we also showed our potential. Some of our young players really stepped up and showed a great fighting spirit. Lesson learned and on to the next one!

Philippe Arendt: No engem komplizéierten Start hun ma ab deem 2ten Véirel en ganz aanert Gesiicht gewisen an hun eis laang eng Féierung em dei 10 Punkten erkämpft. Leider konnten ma dei nie richteg ausbauen an sou as et leider wei schon sou oft komm, dass de Geigener zreck koum an eis zum Schluss duerch seng Erfahrung an Oofgeklärtheet den Match gewennt. Waat een awer muss vun deem Match zreckbehaalen, as dei kämpferesch Mentaliteit an Leeschtung ivert den ganzen Match, geint eng Ettelbrecker Ekipp dei ganz uewen weart madspillen. Jidfereen huet fier deen Aaneren gekämpft. Desen Kampfgeescht mecht eis jonk Ekipp aus. D'Saison huet lo graad reicht ugefaang an lo gëllt ed sech op den Doublen Spilldaach fierzebereeden. Dëst war absolut keen Reckschlaach mee eng Léier fier en Grupp deen dest Saison net 1 Sekonn weart den Kapp hänken loossen. Houfreg en Deel vun dëser Ekipp ze sin.