Barons made certain they would stay top of Group D in the EuroCup Qualifying Round by defeating Lokomotiv Rostov, 87-75.

The winners got 20 points apiece from Latvia international Armands Skele and Demetrius Alexander as they won for the third time in four games while Rostov dropped to 1-3.

Khimik Yuzhny can also improve to 3-1 if they win at Cholet Basket.

Barons struck often from three-point range, making 11 of 27 (40.7%) with Skele three of four (75%) and Alexander two of four (50%).

They also did a great job of getting to the charity stripe where they sank 20 of 25 (80%), compared to 13 of 15 (86.6%) for the Russian team.

Perhaps the most important thing for Barons coach Karlis Muiznieks was the poise shown by his team in the fourth quarter when they led by as many as six points early but fell behind 75-73 on a jump shot by Rostov's Greek forward Nestoras Kommotas with less than four minutes to play.

Skele replied immediately with a lay-up and was fouled on the play.

He missed the free throw, but Barons rebounded and Alexander drilled one of his two three-pointers.

It was a killer blow.

Skele then followed with another long-range basket as the hosts led 81-75.

In fact, Rostov didn't score again as Barons finished the game on a 14-0 run.

Milan Minic, Lokomotiv head coach:

"This game was very important for both teams. This game was an open fight. Barons LMT had a good chemistry between small and big players. In first the half we controlled the game and we managed to neutralize Armans Skele and Giedrius Gustas. Our team made a pressure under the basket of Barons LMT. The reason of our losing was in a quantity of mistakes. This time it was fifteen turnovers, usually it is not more than seven. In such an equal game it was the determinant factor."

Karlis Muiznieks, Barons LMT head coach:

"During the biggest part of the game the initiative was changing from team to team. At the end team leaders showed their best. We supplemented it with a good and aggressive game in defense. Only with the maximum concentration on the win did we get this victory."