The Bayern Basketball team left the Audi Dome on Wednesday morning, and will now play four road games in the next eleven days: this Thursday evening (Jan. 12, 18:45) they are in Istanbul at title contender Fenerbahce, on Sunday in Ludwigsburg, the Friday after next again in Istanbul, then on the European side of the Bosporus at defending champion Efes (Jan. 20th, 18:30) The following Sunday is then played in Bamberg (18:00./every game on MagentaSport). It's a lot of stress, but it's also a chance to make headway in the standings.
The record in the Euroleague is now 7-11 for Munich after Tuesday's celebrated 92-79 home win against Baskonia. The 0-5 start has been followed by seven wins and six losses. Away from home Bayern has only two wins so far, in Berlin and at Villeurbanne.
Fener ends losing streak
Wednesday was also a travel day for Fenerbahce, with the Turkish champions returning from Greece after a94 -88 overtime win at Panathinaikos Athens. The dominant team of the first third of the season thus ended a surprising streak of five losses.
"Fenerbahce is back on track and will welcome us with renewed enthusiasm," suspects FCBB head coach Andrea Trinchieri. "Nothing has changed in terms of their great quality, they simply have everything and we must and will stretch ourselves to the maximum to give them a good fight." Bayern lost the first matchup to start the season at the beginning of October 74-62 in the sold-out Audi Dome. They were within reach of the favorite for two and a half quarters (49-44 Fener/25th) but could not stay in the game in the home-stretch. In the second matchup on Thursday, Trinchieri will still be without Lucic and Obst.
Facing each other again on the court Thursday night: Nick Calathes (left) and Nick Weiler-Babb (right). (c) Pahnke
Star ensemble around Calathes and Wilbekin
The newly formed Fener team around coach Dimitris Itoudis is carried by the athleticism of their US center Jonathan Motley (14.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg) and by their small lineup of guard guard guard - with the all-time assist king of the EuroLeague, Nick Calathes (9.4 ppg, 5.4 apg), Scottie Wilbekin (11.4 ppg) and Carsen Edwards (8.2 ppg). On the wing, class and experience are equally available starting with Serbian and former NBA pro Nemanja Bjelica as well as Nigel Hayes-Davies (9.3 ppg), who scored a season-best 24 points in Athens.
In the Turkish BSL, Fener is in first place with a 12-2 record ahead of Ankara (11-3) and clearly ahead of top rival Efes (9-5).
FCBB's next home game is the nearly sold-out "Music meets Basketball" event with Clueso at the EuroLeague evening against Virtus Bologna on Friday, January 27th.