Henry's buzzer-beater triple makes CAI win in Ulm

CAI Zaragoza improved to 6-3 in Group C by edging ratiopharm Ulm 81-84 on the road on Wednesday. Sek Henry became the game hero by hitting the game-winning shot - an off-balance triple - at the buzzer. Ulm dropped to 3-6 and will fight with Proximus Spirou Charleroi for the only open Last 32 spot in Group C next week. Henry led the winners with 21 points. Isaac Fotu added 14 while Drake Diener and Pere Tomas each had 10 for CAI. Raymar Morgan led Ulm with 16 points. De'Sean Butler added 14, Per Guenther and Taylor Braun each had 11 while Chris Babb and Augustine Rubit got 10 apiece for the hosts. Diener had 10 points in the first quarter and got help from Henry and Fotu to give CAI a 16-24 lead after 10 minutes. An outstanding Henry boosted his team's lead to 19-32 early in the second quarter but Butler, Rubit and Braun allowed Ulm to tie it at 47-47. A three-pointer by Fotu put CAI back ahead, 48-50, at halftime. Morgan and Braun fueled a 7-0 run that gave Ulm a 55-50 lead but Tomas and Henry allowed CAI to regain a 63-64 edge after 30 minutes. Morgan and Butler shined in crunch time and a big three-pointer by Guenther tied it at 81-81 with 23.5 seconds. CAI almost picked up a turnover but put the balls in Henry's hands - and he beat the buzzer with a wild three-pointer to win it for the guests.

Morgan got Ulm going with a quick basket but Diener and Nate Linhart soon gave CAI a 2-5 lead. Babb struck from downtown but a jump hook by Henk Norel and a jumper by Diener put CAI back ahead, 6-9. Isaac Fotu shined with a tip-in but Morgan and Rubit kept Ulm within 10-11. Linhart buried his second triple and a red hot Diener bettered Rubit's layup with one from beyond the arc, good for a 12-17 CAI lead. Fotu and David Brembly exchanged baskets and a driving layup by Henry boosted the guests' lead to 14-21. Brembly banked in a shot and another triple by Diener boosted CAI's margin to 16-24 after 10 minutes. Halil Kanacevic made it a double-digit game, 16-26, early in the second quarter. Butler tried to change things with a three-pointer but Henry kept CAI way ahead, 19-32. Butler kept pacing Ulm with another basket and Guenther and Babb buried consecutive triples to keep the hosts within 27-34. Tomas shined with a put-back layup - and the free throw that came with it - and free throws by Fotu restored a 29-39 CAI margin. Tomas kept scoring but he didn't find much help around. Meanwhile, Guenther, Braun and Rubit brought Ulm as close as 41-43. Fotu and Norel stepped up for CAI but Rubit and an unstoppable Butler tied it at 47-47. Fotu nailed a catch-and-shoot triple and a free throw by Philipp Neumann fixed the halftime score at 48-50.

A three-pointer by Braun ignited a 7-0 run which Morgan had 4 points to give Ulm a 55-50 lead. Fotu tried to change things with a quick basket but free throws by Guenther and a layup byt Morgan made it a seven-point game, 59-52. Fotu struck from downtown, Babb and Henry traded free throws and Tomas hit one from beyond the arc to bring CAI as close as 61-60. Neumann shined with a big basket off the baseline but Norel did better with a three-point play. A free throw by Henry put CAI back ahead, 63-64, after 30 minutes. Henry banked in a close jumper early in the fourth quarter. Babb scored again but a three-pointer by Henry gave CAI a 65-69 lead. Braun answered from downtown, Robin Benzing took over with a big basket in the low post but Rubit kept Ulm within 70-71. Kanacevic followed a dunk with free throws and even when Morgan hit a triple, Linhart seemed to seal the outcome, 73-79, with under 4 minutes left. Butler struck from downtown and Morgan made free throws which Kanacevic erased with a layup for a 78-81 CAI lead in the next-to-last minute. Guenther took over with a catch-and-shoot corner triple which tied it at 81-81 with 23.5 seconds left. Henry solved a broken play with an off-balance three-pointer which allowed CAI to win the game in spectacular fashion!