Red-hot Vertical Vision Cantu laid the wood to Nancy on Wednesday in a one-sided EuroCup opener for both teams.

Cantu, who in Italy's Lega A are riding a four-game winning streak, now have claimed five successive triumphs overall after a 97-76 triumph over the French side.

The only side to beat Cantu this season is Italian champions Climamio Bologna in the first round of domestic action.

		Nicolas Mazzarino

Kebu Stewart led the way for the Italian side with a monster effort of 26 points and 18 rebounds.

If he continues to play like this, it is hard to see Cantu losing games to anyone.

In Italy, one of the top domestic competitions in Europe, Stewart is averaging 16 points and 12 rebounds.

Also on Wednesday, Canadian Rowan Barrett had 18 points and Nicolas Mazzarino chipped in 15.

Nancy are not a bad team, either, which is why this result is an eye-opener.

The winners of Aces Week last season in France, and the team that finished runners-up in the French top flight to Strasbourg, Nancy were tied at 19-19 near the end of the first quarter.

That is when they began to unravel.

Andrea Michelori buried a three-pointer for Cantu, Mazzarino made three of four free throws and Stewart scored his eighth and ninth points on a tap-in to give the hosts a 27-19 lead by the end of the opening period.

Moussa Badiane came onto the court at the start of the second quarter and dunked to cut into the deficit, but Barrett immediately drained a three-pointer, Alessandro Zorzolo made a lay-up and Stewart split two free throws for a 33-21 advantage with 7:17 to play in the first half.

The closest Nancy would get the rest of the way was five late in the second quarter.

Cantu were playing with far too much confidence, and when Mazzarino buried a three-pointer just nine seconds into the third quarter for a 77-63 advantage, the rout was on.