Rome edges Seville to remain unbeaten


Virtus Rome remained undefeated by taking a thrilling 84-82 victory over Baloncesto Seville to become the exclusive leader of the Group C table with a 3-0 record. Tthe visitors dropped to 2-1. Seville took a 21-34 margin early in the game, but the home team came back in the third quarter. In a thrilling finish, Rome’s accuracy from the foul line was crucial to the win. Round 1 MVP Brandon Triche led the way for Rome with 25 points on 4-of-5 shooting from downtown. Kyle Gibson added 16 points, Bobby Jones posted 15 with 7 boards and Rok Stipcevic scored 14. Jacob Pullen and Kristaps Porzingis netted 18 points each for the visitors, while Pierre Oriola added 17.

The teams exchanged lead for the first six minutes before a 0-9 run by the visitors, capped by Porzingis from downtown, gave Seville a 13-20 margin. A layup by Jacob Pullen made it 15-24 at the end of the opening quarter. Early in the second, Dane Watts hit a three for a 21-34 cushion, but the home team, led by Triche and Gibson’s three-pointer, reacted to climb within 36-38. A triple by Pullen fixed the score at 36-41 for the guests at halftime.

Triche nailed back-to-back three-pointers to give Rome a 45-41 advantage early in the third quarter. Then he completed a 22-8 run, again from downtown, for a 58-49 cushion. Pullen tried to keep the guests alive by scoring after a Porzingis steal, but Lorenzo D’Ercole gave the first double-digit margin to his side, 61-51. Porzingis cut it to 62-56 from beyond the arc, and Stipcevic from the foul line made it 64-56 at the end of the quarter. Bobby Jones allowed to the hosts to stay in front with slim margin, 72-66, through his dunk with four minutes left. Oriola kept Seville close, but a three by Gibson gave a 77-70 cushion to Rome with two minutes left. Triche and Stipcevic were perfect from the foul line for an 83-77 advantage. Porzingis dunked to bring Seville within 83-82, but Stipcevic, with a second left, went to the line, scored the first free throw and missed the second as the time expired and Rome celebrated its win.