Virtus Rome routs Spirou to get big road win


Virtus Rome sent a message that echoed all around the competition by overwhelming Proximus Spirou Charleroi 59-88 on the road in Group C on Wednesday. Brandon Triche paced the winners with 26 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Kyle Gibson added 16 points for Rome. Dylan Page led Spirou with 15 points. Eric Wise added 11 while Wen Mukubu and Andre Collins each had 10 for the hosts. Rome already led 13-24 after 10 minutes and boosted its margin to 27-49 at halftime behind an outstanding Triche, who kept pacing his team after the break to improve the guests' lead to 36-70, more than enough to seal the outcome.

A layup by Will Hudson and a three-pointer by Page gave Spirou its only lead of the game, 5-3. Jordan Morgan took over with 6 points in a 0-10 run which put Rome ahead for good, 5-13. Page scored again but back-to-back triples by Gibson and another basket by Morgan broke the game open, 7-21. Page and Leigh Enonakhare kept Spirou within 13-24 after 10 minutes. A jumper by Mukubu brought the hosts within single digits, 15-24. Rome found its scoring rhythm again, as a three-point play by Melvin Ejim and a three-pointer by Triche restored a 23-35 margin. Triche kept scoring in many ways and got help from Rok Stipcevic to improve their team's margin to 27-49 at halftime. Triche scored again and followed Stipcevic's basket with free throws to give Rome a 28-point margin, 30-58. Page stepped up with a three-point play but Triche stayed completely unstoppable and a three-pointer by Lollo D'Ercole made it a 34-point game, 36-70. Nothing changed from that moment, as a triple by Maxime De Zeeuw and a layup-plus-foul by Ejim kept Rome way ahead, 48-81. Everything was said and done - Rome would go back home with a big win and Spirou needs to bounce back right away to leave this home loss behind.