U-BT Cluj-Napoca top Belfius Mons-Hainaut, get back to winning ways

MONS (FIBA Europe Cup) - U-BT Cluj-Napoca got their victory count rolling in the Second Round, downing Belfius Mons-Hainaut 85-81 in Group L action in Belgium on Tuesday night.

Behind a 16-point effort from Giordan Watson, the Romanian side improved to a 1-1 record in the standings, while the Daniel Goethals-coached hosts dropped to 0-2.

Turning Point: It was a close-fought game from start to finish, with the lead changing hands multiple times but neither side managed to generate a double-digit advantage for most of the game. However, U-BT Cluj-Napoca got their break in the fourth quarter, going on a 16-1 run to swing a 72-67 deficit with 6:30 remaining into an 83-73 advantage with just over a minute left on the clock.

Game Hero: U-BT Cluj-Napoca guard Watson finished the contest with a team-high 16 points, but what was particularly important for head coach Mihai Silvasan was the fact that half of them came in the decisive fourth quarter.

Stats Don't Lie: Having committed 15 turnovers compared to just 7 by Cluj, Mons were ruthlessly punished for their careless ball-handling, as the visitors outscored their Belgian hosts 23-9 in transition points.

Bottom Line: A hard-fought away win has put U-BT Cluj-Napoca back on a winning track in the FIBA Europe Cup. The black-and-whites from Romania haven't lost twice in a row this season and kept it that way after beginning the Second Round with a somewhat unexpected loss at home.

FIBA