CEZ Basketball Nymburk rejoined the race to advance to the Last 16 in regular season Group H by thrashing Lauretana Biella 84-60 at home in Pardubice, the Czech Republic on Tuesday night. Both teams are now tied at 3-2 but Nymburk has the tie-break advantage and will make it to the Last 16 with a road win against BK Ventspils next week. Meanwhile, Biella faces a make-or-break showdown at home against Brose Baskets next week in which only the winner will reach the next round. Arthur Lee paced the winners with 20 points. Ladislav Sokolovsky and Ron Lewis each added 16 while Mike Lenzly had 12 for Nymburk. Joe Smith had 20 points for Biella but none of his teammates scored in double digits. Nymburk managed to limit Biella star guard Pietro Aradori to just 3 points and 5 turnovers. A layup by Pervis Pasco got Biella within 25-23 near halftime. Nymburk boosted its margin to 32-23 at the break while Sokolovsky had all of his 16 points in the second half. Nymburk soon made it a 20-point game, 50-30, and kept a safe lead all the way until the final buzzer.

Lee got Nymburk going with a layup that Sven Schultze matched in the other end for an early 2-2 tie. The hosts dominated the game with outstanding defense while a three-point play by Pavel Slezak and a jumper by Petr Benda gave Nymburk a 7-2 edge. Schultze tried to change things for Biella and Dominique Coleman sank a jumper but Nymburk found a go-to guy in Phil Ricci, that singlehandedly boosted his team's lead to 15-6. Aradori buried a jumper to rescue the guests, as free throws by Luca Garri and a big basket by Smith brought Biella back to life, 15-12, after 10 minutes. Benda stepped up with a layup early in the second quarter that Kieron Achara matched in the other end. Lewis found his first points on a jumper that Matteo Soragna bettered with a triple to get Biella within 19-17. Lee took over with a second-chance basket but consecutive jumpers by Achara and Pasco tied it at 21-21. Radek Necas got the crowd involved with a jumper and Lewis added free throws for a 25-21 Nymburk lead. Pasco shined with a put-back layup that a red hot Lewis improved with a bomb from downtown. Free throws by Lenzly and a layup by Benda boosted the hosts' lead to 32-23 at halftime.

Sokolovsky scored immediately after the break but layups by Smith and Pasco got Biella as close as 34-27. It didn't last long, however, as Nymburk improved its defense right away. A three-pointer by Lenzly ignited a 8-0 run that Lewis capped with a free throw, good for a 42-27 Nymburk margin. Smith silenced the crowd with a jumper but Lewis and Sokolovsky answered with back-to-back bombs from downtown and Lee added a layup off a steal to break the game open, 50-30. Smith tried to change things with free throws and a three-pointer but he didn't find much help around. A big triple by an unstoppable Lewis and free throws by Lenzly kept the hosts way ahead, 58-38, after 30 minutes. Sokolovsky followed a jumper with a triple to set the crowd on fire, 63-40, early in the fourth quarter. Smith and Carl Ona Embo tried to ignite Biella's comeback with back-to-back three-pointers but Nymburk controlled the game with twin point guard, playing Lenzly and Lee together on court. Slezak and Lewis allowed Nymburk to seal the outcome, 75-50. Nothing changed in the final 4 minutes, as Nymburk had cruised to a well-deserved, convincing home win.