Bayern loses to Ludwigsburg 101-98

The FC Bayern basketball team is trailing 0:1 in the playoff semifinals against Ludwigsburg: Head coach Andrea Trinchieri's team lost 101-98 to the strong home team in Game 1 of the best-of-five series despite a strong comeback and a last shot at a possible overtime. At the guard positionthe Cup winner was sorely missing not only Nick Weiler-Babb but also Zan Mark Sisko, who fell ill shortly before the game. 

Seven FCBB turnovers (15-6 in the end) and five threes in a row by the hosts led to 129-13 in the first quarter. In total, they allowed nine threes before the break, but fought their way back to within five points. After the change, the Munich team put in a lot of effort to change the lead, but the first seed  successfully countered with similarly good shooting and, in the end, a bit of good luck.

Game two takes place on Monday from 7 p.m., also in Ludwigsburg, before the series moves to Munich in the Audi Dome, again just two days later, on Wednesday (8.30 p.m.). lengthening does not fall

Points per quarter Bayern - Ludwigsburg: 17-29, 30-26, 19-21, 32-25.

Stats: Two-point shooting: 53% (FCBB) // 50% (Ludwigsburg); Three-point shooting: 56% // 50%; Free-throw shooting: 83% // 67%; Rebounds: 37 // 26; Assists: 16 // 14; Turnovers: 15 // 6.

Quotes:
Andrea Trinchieri: "Congratulations to Ludwigsburg, I think in the end they deserved to win. We had the better two-point quota, the better three-point quota, in free throws; we grabbed more rebounds, more assists - but we lost because we lost the ball too many times. Losing the ball and not being able to stop McLean were the keys of the game. Overall, it was a poor showing because when you go into a playoff series with the body language of a regular season game, it costs you the game. 29 points in the first quarter cost us. We then tried to come back and we did, but we didn't finish the job. In the second game we have to have a much better attitude on defense. We were very bad in the first half and didn't respect Ludwigsburg's shooters. (...) I am not satisfied with the way we read the game. We don't have problems with attitude, but with concentration. I think if we want to win a game, we can't let ourselves give up over 100 points."

Paul Zipser: "At the end we had a chance to get close and we were actually back in the game. But we made it too difficult for ourselves. But once you're behind against Ludwigsburg, you have to expend a lot of energy to come back. We were ready but sometimes we didn't find the right solutions, and then you get something like this. I don't know how many turnovers we had in the beginning, but of course that gives Ludwigsburg a lot of confidence. I think in game two, the day after tomorrow, we know what to expect. After the first quarter we would have won the game and with that attitude we should now go into the second game."

Game recap:
Wade Baldwin, Nihad Djedovic, Vladimir Lucic, James Gist and Leon Radosevic made up coach Andrea Trinchieri's starting lineup for the semifinal opener. Bayern started badly, namely with three turnovers. Lucic brought some security into the affair and equalized with two free throws to take the score to 2-2 (2nd). Despite the problem with the turnovers, FCBB stayed in the game and the long-missing FCBB captain Nihad Djedovic used his size advantage to take a lead 8-7 (5th). Ludwigsburg defended better and scored excellently from beyond the three-point line - 11-18 (7th). Ludwigsburg's scoring rate was impressive and the home team pulled away mercilessly (24-11/8th). Reynolds and Zipser pleased with spectacular individual play, but there was still no talk of a comeback. 29-17 after the first quarter.

Bayern was looking for a rhythm, but the MHP Giants were in the flow and continued to pull away (36-22/12th). Munich brought more calmness into the game structure with switching on defense and, two three-pointers by Seeley reduced the gap to 39-29 (14th). The FCBB was finally on track and started to catch up by means of a more intense defense, but Ludwigsburg's scoring remained tremendously good. Seeley was the hero in this quarter and his score was already in double figures with ten points. The FCBB were now fully in the game and took the fight to Ludwigsburg and point by point they came closer. The hosts only led by eight at halftime - 55-47.

Zipser hit a three-pointer from very deep but defensive coordination problems for Baydrn and debatable whistles made it difficult to get closer (62-56/25th). Trinchieri ordered his team to a timeout as Ludwigsburg was allowed repeated second chances through offensive rebounds (65-58/26th). Five Baldwin points in a row cut it to 67-63 (27th), but mistakes piled up again. Flaccadori's first playoff points were very important, but could not prevent Ludwigsburg's lead from becoming clearer again - 76-66 after quarter three.

A Zipser three-pointer and a basket by Seeley prompted John Patrick to call a timeout (78-71/32nd). The EuroLeague-steeled Munich team remained calm and fought, but so did the hosts. Five minutes before the end, the deficit was eleven points as Lucic made a statement with two three-pointers (89-84/37th). However, Ludwigsburg answered with a lightning-fast 8-0 run, Baldwin to take a 97-87 lead. Seeley drilled a three of his own but only 80 seconds remained 97-90. Bayern won the ball and Baldwin was fouled but hit only one free throw. After a monster block by Zipser, Lucic converted both free throws after a foul, and after a quick turnover and another foul, two more free throws (97-95/34 seconds left). Ludwigsburg took its time and it paid off as Jalen Smith got free in the corner and sank the three-pointer to make it 100-95, but Lucic needed exactly one second to put the three-pointer in the Ludwigsburg basket with 8.1 seconds left in the game. Tremmell Darden was fouled by Radosevic to get him to the line, 4.4 seconds left. Darden converted just one, so the Munich team actually still had a chance to tie the game and go to overtime. Lucic got a good look and took the three but the ball bounced back off the hoop and directly into Lucic's hands again, giving him one more try. It missed and Ludwigsburg leads 1-0.

SCHEDULE

Photo credit: Stickel, Keppler