Belgium's Belfius Mons-Enou and Dutch side Zwolle met in the BNXT League on 17 October 2026, with the visitors securing a 74:57 victory. The result leaves both sides level on points after two opening games, though the away team has now claimed one win while the hosts have yet to taste success.
What mattered most was how the game unfolded. Zwolle controlled the tempo from the opening quarter, building a lead that never seriously wavered. Mons-Enou struggled to find rhythm against a disciplined defensive setup, and by the time the third quarter began, the visitors had already established enough cushion to manage the closing stages comfortably.
The hosts' recent history offers some context. Their last five fixtures include defeats of 98:60, 100:63, 107:57, 101:79, and 116:76 — a pattern of scoring short and conceding generously. Nothing in Saturday's performance suggested that trajectory had shifted.
Zwolle came into this fixture with mixed results of their own. A 98:70 loss to Ostende and a 89:78 defeat at Aarhus Bookended a 59:70 win over Heroes Den Bosch and a 62:70 victory against Donar Groningen. They had shown they could compete, but consistency remained elusive.
I had backed the home side to win, with 55 per cent confidence. That assessment was wrong. Zwolle's defensive structure and ability to execute under pressure proved decisive, while Mons-Enou's attacking issues persisted.
The two teams now sit on equal footing in the standings, though the quality of the results tells a different story. One team has found a way to win; the other is still searching for answers.
