PGE Turow Zgorzelec rallied from a 17-point deficit to get a 61-61 tie against CEZ Nymburk in the 1st leg of their ULEB Cup Last 32 series in the Czech Republic on Tuesday. As such, both teams set a make-or-break, winner-take-all showdown for the 2nd leg next week, when Turow hosts Nymburk in Liberec, the Czech Republic. Ladislav Sokolovsky led Nymburk with 16 points and 8 rebounds. Radoslav Rancik added 15 points and 9 rebounds while Petr Benda had 13 points for the hosts. Dragisa Drobnjak led Turow with 14 points on 6-for-8 two-pointers. David Logan added 13 while Marko Skecic and Robert Witka each had 12 for the guests. Sokolovsky and an unstoppable Rancik allowed Nymburk to get a 32-15 margin late in the second quarter. Skecic and Witka brought Turow within 34-21 at halftime while a 0-8 run got the guests even closer, 38-34. Sokolovsky tried to keep Nymburk ahead but Andres Rodriguez gave Turow its first lead of the night, 56-58, with 3 minutes to go. Logan stroke from down town but Sokolovsky followed free throws with a triple to tie the series at the end of the 1st leg.

Sokolovsky got Nymburk going with a quick basket and soon added his first three-pointers in a 7-1 opening run that Benda capped with a layup. Drobnjak tried to change things for Turow but back-to-back baskets by Rancik gave Nymburk an 11-3 lead. Drobnjak kept pacing Turow with free throws but Michael Kremen answered from downtown to keep the hosts ahead, 14-5. Logan and Benda traded baskets while Drobnjak scored again for a 16-9 Turow deficit. A three-pointer by Arthur Lee allowed Nymburk to keep a 19-12 lead after 10 minutes. Lee scored again right at the start of the second quarter while Monty Mack stroke from downtown to give Nymburk its first double-digit margin, 24-14. Slobodan Ljubotina made a free throw but Turow kept struggling to score. Meanwhile, Rancik had 6 points in an 8-0 run that boosted the hosts' lead to 32-15. Skecic stepped up for Turow with back-to-back baskets while a put-back layup by Witka brought the guests within 34-21 at halftime.

Turow improved its defense right after the break, making Nymburk go scoreless in the opening 4 minutes of the third quarter. Meanwhile, a three-pointer by Logan ignited a 0-8 Turow run that Witka capped another one from downtown to make it a five-point game, 34-29. Nymburk called a much-needed timeout, as Mack and Sokolovsky stepped up with consecutive baskets. Turow did not panic, however, as Drobnjak scored again while Kelati fired in a triple to get the guests even closer, 38-34. Rancik answered from downtown and Sokolovsky added a layup but consecutive baskets by an unstoppable Drobnjak kept Turow within 43-38. A layup-plus-foul by Benda and a big triple by Witka fixed the score at 46-41 after 30 minutes. Logan sank another triple to get Turow as close as 46-44 early in the fourth quarter. Benda followed a layup with a put-back basket while Rancik made Turow call timeout at 52-45. Skecic followed Witka's triple with free throws but Sokolovsky kept Nymburk ahead, 54-50. Skecic stayed unstoppable while Rodriguez completed the guests' comeback, 56-58, with 3 minutes to go. Logan buried a triple that capped a 0-9 Turow run for a 56-61 lead. Sokolovsky made free throws while Rodriguez missed foul shots and a triple, giving Nymburk the final possession. Sokolovsky stroke from downtown to set a do-or-die showdown in Liberec next week.