Seville blows past Virtus Rome

Baloncesto Seville kept alive its chances to advance to the Last 32 by thrashing group leader Virtus Rome 98-80 on Wednesday. Seville improved to 4-4, while already qualified Rome dropped to 6-2 in Group C. The hosts hit five triples in the first quarter to build a lead, and a 12-5 spurt in the second to open up a 16-point margin. After 48-35 at halftime, Guillermo Hernangomez and Kristaps Porzingis fueled a run that extended the margin to 68-46, and Seville coasted to an important win. Hernangomez finished with 21 points and 7 rebounds, Porzingis had 18 points while Pierre Oriola scored 16 in victory. Berni Rodriguez netted 14 with 5 assists, and Derrick Byars had 11 for Seville. Brandon Triche paced the visitors, finishing with 22 points, and Jordan Morgan had 12 points plus 10 rebounds.

The hosts started the game good offensively, with back-to-back triples from Rodriguez and Nikola Radicevic making it 13-8. Triche was hot from the start for Rome, but the visitors never managed to go ahead. Maxim De Zeeuw first traded triples with Byars, then with Porzingis for 25-19, before Hernangomez also hit from downtown for Seville and 30-21 after 10 minutes. The hosts extended the lead in the second quarter with Rodiriguez and Byars each hitting another one from long range, helping margin reach 44-28. But Rok Stipcevic and Melvin Ejim hit from three-point range for the visitors, as the cut the deficit to 48-35 at halftime.

After the break, Hernangomez kept the lead in the double figures, before a basket-plus-foul from Rodriguez gave Seville 57-41. Kyle Gibson hit a triple on the other end to cut it to 59-46, but Hernangomez and Porzingis fueled a 9-0 run that pushed the margin to 68-46. The hosts never looked back, even as the scoring on both ends picked up for the remainder of the game. Alex Urtasun strung together 7 points, including a triple for 86-60. Daniele Sandri hit from downtown for Rome, and Morgan had couple of baskets before Triche scored 9 points in the last 4 minutes to cut the deficit some more.