After three game-free days, the Bayern basketball players will return to their home court in the Audi Dome on Friday at 16:30. (12.6., live on MagentaSport). In their third appearance in the BBL Final tournament, coach Oliver Kostic's team will meet BG Goettingen. Like the Munich team, the squad from Lower Saxony has one victory and one defeat so far. The BG lost 80-62 against Oldenburg on Wednesday after their opening victory against Crailsheim (89-78), but had to do without forward Alex Ruoff, who had been on the court for more than 30 minutes in the opening game and managed twelve points and ten assists. It is quite possible that he will have fixed his back problems by Friday.
For the defending champion, it is now a matter of second place in the group behind the still undefeated Ulm team. "Our appearance against Crailsheim should be a model for next Friday," says Coach Kostic. "But this was only a first step. We still have a lot of room for improvement both on defense and offense. But Goettingen has caused us big problems twice this season and they have already proven their quality here as well. It's important that we stick to our game plan."
Young Go-to-guy Bennet Hundt
At the Bayern home game in the regular season only a spectacular buzzer beater by Petteri Koponen ensured a happy success. In February they lost 90-81 on the road, one of only two losses for Bayern in 21 regular season games.
Goettingen's coach Johan Roijakkers has to live without his top scorer Kyan Anderson (15.7 ppg, remained in the States), Center Dylan Osetkowski (left for FCBB conqueror Ulm) and Adam Waleskowski (personal reasons). In their place Roijakker's Dutch compatriots Jito Kok and Leon Williams as well as Munich's youngster Erol Ersek, who saw his first BBL minutes against Oldenburg. The very young leader is playmaker Bennet Hundt. The 20-year-old shone against Crailsheim with 30 points but against Oldenburg (10) he was a bit on his own without Ruoff's support. The top scorer against Oldenburg was Terry Allen (16).
"Goettingen plays a lot of one-on-one and is also very strong in the transition, we have to slow down their game", says Maodo Lo.