MONS (FIBA Europe Cup) - Belfius Mons-Hainaut squandered an opportunity to secure a Second Round berth ahead of time in front of their own fans, falling 69-64 to the visiting Demir Insaat in a Group G showdown on Tuesday.

With only one round of action remaining, both teams are involved in a three-team race with Kosovar champions Sigal Prishtina for the top two positions in the standings, with the Belgian and Turkish sides on the inside lane.

Turning Point: Justin Cage had given the hosts a 43-42 lead with 2:28 remaining in the third quarter, but Demir Insaat knocked the wind out of their sails by finishing the period with a 7-0 run to re-establish their superiority.

Stats Don't Lie: Demir Insaat won the game in spite of finishing the night with a lower efficiency score than their Belgian opponents, who had a 72-61 in this specific statistical category. Maybe stats do lie sometimes?

Game Hero: With point guard Erving Walker not available due to illness, Bracey Wright stepped up for the Turkish side once again with a 19-point, 4-rebound and 3-assist effort that provided the visitors with a much-needed offensive punch in a low-scoring game.

They said: "We avoided committing too many fouls in the first half, and the level of game became higher and higher. Despite the fact that Walker didn't play, I took on the responsibility of being the leader, but my guys were very concentrated on their task, and now we'll try to win in Prishtina to be sure of finishing first" - Demir Insaar player, Carl Bracey Wright.

Bottom Line: Demir Insaat may not have a mathematically-confirmed a place in the Second Round just yet, but they already have one foot in the next phase of the competition. They can afford to lose their final game against Sigal Prishtina by as many as 28 points and still advance from Group G. As long as Mons-Hainaut defeat Khimik in Ukraine, they will also progress.

FIBA