STEESEL, Luxembourg (Interstat) — Amicale Steesel will open its LUX: LBBL women’s professional basketball season Saturday at home against Esch, a team still seeking its first win.

Esch enters at 0-1 after an 84-61 home loss to Dudelange in its most recent outing. Tatsiana Likhtarovich was Esch’s most productive player in that game, finishing with 33 minutes, 20 points, six rebounds and two assists. Jovana Jaksic added 13 points, three rebounds and one assist in 22 minutes, while Joy Baum contributed seven points, three rebounds and one assist in 24 minutes.

Likhtarovich will be the player to watch for Esch. She carries the offensive load and has shown the ability to produce in multiple areas. Her recent performance against Dudelange included team highs in scoring and rebounds, and she also handed out two assists. Esch will need similar production if it hopes to challenge Amicale Steesel on the road.

Amicale Steesel is 0-0 and will be playing its first game of the LUX: LBBL campaign. The home side will look to use its fresh legs and home-court advantage against an Esch team that has already taken one loss. Amicale Steesel’s schedule begins with this matchup before it visits Grengewald Hueschtert, hosts Contern, travels to Les Sangliers Wooltz, hosts Musel Pikes and visits Dudelange. A later meeting between the teams will be at Esch. Amicale Steesel also has home games ahead against Grengewald Hueschtert, Les Sangliers Wooltz and Musel Pikes, plus road games at Contern and Musel Pikes.

Esch, meanwhile, will host Grengewald Hueschtert in its next game after Saturday. The team then visits Contern before returning home to face Les Sangliers Wooltz. Additional road games await at Dudelange and Musel Pikes, followed by a home game against Amicale Steesel. Esch also is slated to host Grengewald Hueschtert and Contern before visiting Les Sangliers Wooltz and hosting Musel Pikes later in the schedule.

The matchup is organized by LUX: LBBL and is part of the women’s professional basketball calendar. Esch will attempt to rebound from its opening defeat, while Amicale Steesel will try to start its season on a positive note. The game features one team already tested in competition and another making its debut. Amicale Steesel will aim to control the pace at home, while Esch will lean on Likhtarovich’s scoring ability.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a final score of Amicale Steesel 64, Esch 61. Interstat’s ELO system gives Amicale Steesel a 70.5 percent probability to win.