Cherkaski Mavpy had a bittersweet taste of victory on Tuesday when they won for the third time in six EuroCup Qualifying Round games by beating Banvit 87-81 but failed to progress to the next stage of the competition.

Mavpy jumped out to a 26-18 first-quarter lead and stormed to victory. However, they finished third in Group B behind Ural Great and Dexia Mons-Hainaut.

The Ukrainian team already knew, in fact, it would not advance because of what had happened last week.

They beat Dexia, but only by four points, a result which left the Belgian team with a +1 goal differential in the games between the two sides.

It meant that even if Dexia were to lose their last group game against Ural Great on Tuesday and finish 3-3 with Cherkaski Mavpy, they would be assured of a second place finish.

Jovica Arsic's Mavpy were nevertheless determined to go out of the competition on a winning note.

"As I promised, we won the game for our fans who support us so much," Arsic said, before heaping praise on his players.

"The small guys in the team helped big players and we played defense better," he said.

Mavpy star Pavlo Revzin also said the home support had been terrific.

"We got fantastic support of our fans," he said.

"We followed the coach's plan for the game ... We are becoming one team."

Martynas Andriukaitis had 24 points to pace the winners while for Banvit, Inanç Koç scored 16 and grabbed five rebounds.

Burak Selcuk Ernak, Banvit head coach-

"Cherkaski Mavpy is a different team now. If in the game in Turkey the small guys played the main roles, this time the big players dominated in the court. They switched roles and the game changed."

Multu Demir, Banvit-

"Our opponents played a good game. Cherkaski Mavpy center John Edwards did a great job. Chekovski and Andriukaitis were great today shooting the ball from any places."

Jovica Arsic, Cherkaski Mavpy head coach-

"As I promised we won the game for our fans who support us so much. The small guys in the team helped big players and we played defense better."

Pavlo Revzin, Cherkaski Mavpy-

"We got fantastic support of our fans. We followed the coach's plan for the game and try to prove that the loss in Rovno was just a sad accident. The coach and the team seem to understand one another. We are becoming one team. Of course, basketball is unpredictable and we did not manage to play fast in the last quarter."