Oldenburg ends Eurocup campaign in style

EWE Baskets Oldenburg finished its Eurocup campaign on a winning note, downing the first place Virtus Rome 80-66 on Wednesday. Oldenburg, which learned it has been eliminated on Tuesday when Nymburk beat Baloncesto Seville, finished with 4-6 record in fifth place of Group C, while Virtus Rome moves to the Last 32 from the first place and 7-3 record. Adam Chubb led in victory with 16 points, and Casper Ware netted 15 on 5-for-11 three-pointers. Julius Jenkins contributed with 12 and Phillip Zweiner with 11 for the hosts. Melvin Ejim, Rok Stipcevic and Kyle Gibson had 12 apiece in the defeat.

Maurice Stuckey and Cubb each scored 6 points for the hosts to build an early 13-5 margin, but Maxime De Zeeuw hit a triple and had a put-back while Stipcevic scored 5 points, dished 3 assists and had a steal to help Virtus close within 23-20 in the second quarter. But Rickey Paulding scored twice, and assisted Chubb for a layup that extended the lead to 33-24, while Ejim on the other end that made sure Rome does not go into halftime with a deficit bigger than 37-28. After the break Paulding and Chubb kept carrying Oldenburg, before a three-pointer from each Casper Ware and Julius Jenkins extended the margin to 51-36. The hosts dominated, and another triple from Jenkins helped extend it to 60-42 late in the third. Brandon Triche scored 6 points in the early going of the fourth for Rome, but four triples from Ware kept Oldenburg with a comfortable 72-55 lead. Margin broke the 20-point barrier on a triple from Stuckey, as the hosts closed it out in style.