CEZ Nymburk needs 3 OTs to take down Rome

In one of the longest games in competition history, CEZ Basketball Nymburk defeated Virtus Rome 89-87 following three overtimes. The Czech champs were on the verge of victory at the end of regulation before Bobby Jones forced overtime and again at the end of the first extra period before Brandon Triche evened the score with free throws. Rok Stipcevic missed a chance to win it for Rome at the end of the second overtime. Alas Pavel Houska’s free throws allowed Nymburk to hold on in a tense third overtime period. Tre Simmons led Nymnburk with 23 points and 6 assists. Houska scored 21, Darius Washington amassed 16 points and 8 assists and Vojtech Hruban netted 10. Kyle Gibson paced Rome with 20 points and 5 assists, Stipcevic scored 18, Triche 12, Jones 11 and Jordan Morgan 10.

Nymburk’s Houska and Rome’s Gibson each scored twice in a tight opening stanza that saw neither team lead by more than 2 points. Maxime De Zeeuw’s triple gave Roma a 12-13 edge through 10 minutes. Triche’s assist to Stipcevic for a three before recording a steal and taking it in for a layup gave Rome the biggest lead to that point, 19-23. Simmons tied the score and added a triple during an 11-0 surge that also saw Garrett Stutz score twice for a 30-23 Nymburk advantage. Triche cut the deficit to 3 before Hruban scored to give the hosts a 32-27 halftime edge.

Jones was fouled shooting a three and made the ensuing free throws and Gibson struck from downtown as Rome went back in front 34-35. The lead swapped hands three more times before Triche knotted the score at 41-41 and then split free throws that put the visitors up 1. After Petr Benda and De Zeeuw each scored, Rome led 43-44 through three quarter. Simmons scored and assisted and Washington added a layup in a 6-0 spurt to open the fourth quarter. A pair of slams from Melvin Ejim brought Rome right back at 49-48. Morgan put Roma ahead 53-54 with two minutes to go. Houska hit a big Nymburk triple, but Jones beat the buzzer to tie the game at 56-56 and force overtime.

Simmons and Washington scored first to put Nymburk ahead, but Stipcevic retorted from downtown. Gibson soon nailed a triple to even the score at 62-62. Simmons put the hosts up 5 inside the last minute, but De Zeeuw and Stipcevic scored on Rome’s next two possessions, while Jiri Welsch and Benda each missed from the line. Hruban scored on the offensive glass to put the hosts up 3. Triche was sent to the line where he made 1 and missed the next, got his own rebound, drew a foul and tied the game at 69-69 to force a second overtime period. Washington and Simmons again helped Nymburk to a 5-point lead. Back-to-back threes from Gibson and Stipcevic gave Rome a 74-75 edge. Benda made 1 of 4 free throws to tie it and Stipcevic missed the game-winner at the buzzer, leaving the sides to play a third overtime. Stipcevic connected from downtown, but Houska’s three-point play evened the score at 80-80. Washington gave the hosts an 84-83 lead inside the final minute. Martin Kriz’s steal led to a Simmons layup. Stipcevic made 4 free throws down the stretch, but Houska made 3 of his own to keep Nymburk in front for a triple-overtime victory.