Cimberio Varese finished its Eurocup season with a smile by taking down ratiopharm Ulm 75-86. The result denied Ulm first place in Group C. Ulm finished the regular season with a 7-3 record and in second place and will feature in Last 32 Group I. Varese had previously been eliminated from last 32 contention and finished its season at 2-8. The visitors led for much of the game. Ulm rallied to take a slim advantage in the third quarter, but Ebi Ere scored three consecutive three-pointers in a 0-11 charge that put the visitors in control for good. Dusan Sakota led the winners with 18 points, Adrian Banks added 17, Ere finished with 14 and Erik Rush 11. Varese knocked down 16 of 34 three-point attempts, compared to just 6-for-30 shooting for Ulm. Trent Plaisted led the Ulm attack with 16 points and 11 rebounds, Matt Howard tallied 13 points and 8 boards and Edgar Sosa chalked up 9 points and 12 assists.

Cam Long’s three gave the hosts an early edge, but Varese went ahead 12-13 on Banks’s free throws. The lead changed hands several more times before Will Clyburn brought the hosts within 22-24 after 10 minutes. Philipp Schwethelm tied the game at 27-27 early in the second quarter, but Sakota scored 5 of the next 7 points as Varese jumped ahead. Clyburn free throws closed the gap to 33-38 at halftime. Ulm rallied to take a 42-41 lead on an Adem Hess layup. After Howard’s three-point play gave the home team a 49-47 edge, Ere nailed three consecutive three-pointers and then assisted to Banks for a slam as Varese reeled off 11 unanswered points. Howards ended the Ulm drought, but a Sakota three made it a 10-point margin. Long closed the difference to 53-61 at the end of the third quarter. Sakota and co. padded the lead early in the fourth and by the time rallied, by scoring 10 straight points, time was running out. Plaisted made it 68-75 with two minutes remaining. Banks made 4 free throws on the following two possessions and a Keydren Clark triple iced the game.