OOSTENDE (FIBA Europe Cup) - Telenet Oostende were slightly unfortunate to find themselves down by double digits against Enisey before the return leg of the FIBA Europe Cup Quarter-Final tie at home in Belgium against the Russian side.

The relatively tightly contested game at the Arena Sever in Krasnoyarsk turned sour for coach Dario Gjergja in the closing stages, with Enisey topping Oostende 84-72 after a momentous final stretch.

"I don't think we got what we deserved from the game. We started poorly and gave too many three-pointers away. During the half-time break we talked about this and managed to even the game, but unnecessary turnovers cost us at the end of the game," Gjergja said after the game.

The play-caller did admit Enisey were the better side in the contest, but felt his side should have gone back to Belgium with a slightly smaller deficit, not down by 12 points.

However, Oostende have no one to blame for the lackluster finish but themselves and will have to make up the lost ground when the sides meet again on Wednesday evening at the Sleuyter Arena.

Although the first-leg score can undoubtedly be considered a success for Enisey, the Russians aren't ready to let their guard down. They also had a double-digit lead against Demir Insaat in the Round of 16 and experienced firsthand how quickly it can disappear.

"They are a very tough team and we spent a lot of time preparing for this game. We were successful in some things and not so much in others in the first game. In my opinion, the tie is still wide open," said Frank Elegar, who scored 15 points and grabbed 10 boards in the first leg and now leads the competition with seven double-doubles.

Enisey head coach Oleg Okulov expressed similar sentiments: "I believe my boys deserved the first-leg victory for their hard work, but we need to work even harder if we want to finish the job in Belgium."

The Russian coach will be pleased how Anthony Hilliard has meshed with the team, with the guard being at the heart of Enisey's first-leg success with 20 points. The team's starting point guard Tony Taylor chipped in with a healthy mix of 15 points and 4 assists as well.

The trio of Elegar, Hilliard and Taylor not only did a lot of damage offensively, but also played very solid defense against Rasko Katic and Dusan Djordjevic, who turned in one of their worst games this season for Oostende.

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Katic finished with 8 points and 8 rebounds, but went just 4-of-12 from the field, while Djordjevic scored 9 points, grabbed 4 rebounds and dished out 4 assists, but turned the ball over a total of 5 times.

For Oostende, it all starts at the top. If the Belgian side want to tickle Enisey in the second leg, the Serbian duo of Katic and Djordjevic will have to bounce back with strong performances, while the rest of the team will also need to contribute.

Enisey already showed they have the antidote to the whirlwind of Djordjevic-Katic pick-and-rolls once. Can they do it again in Belgium and prove it wasn't just a one-off?

FIBA