New year, same crazy schedule as the Bayern Basketball players already practiced again on New Year's Day to prepare for a busy few weeks. Head coach Andrea Trinchieri's team has six games ahead of it, starting with the 2023 premiere this Tuesday evening at promoted Rostock (Jan. 3, 20:30). 48 hours later, Panathinaikos Athens with Coach Radonjic and Derrick Williams visit the Audi Dome for an important Euroleague game (Thurs., 20:30) On Sunday it will be Alba Berlin in the BBL rivalry game (Jan. 8, 18:00). Only a few tickets are still available for both home games.
In the next week, the season continues with a EuroLeague Double Week, at the Audi Dome against new league leader Baskonia Vítoria (Tue., Jan. 10) and two days later at title contender Fenerbahce in Istanbul (Jan. 12), as well as the next BBL top game at fourth-place Ludwigsburg the Sunday after next (Jan. 15, 18:00).
Waiting for Giffey
In terms of personnel, Trinchieri does not have many options at the moment. He will have to wait a while for Vladimir Lucic and Andreas Obst as they are out with elbow injuries. Meanwhile Niels Giffey, who has been out for days due to flu, will have to decide when he can fill the twelfth spot again, depending on the course of his recovery and the obligatory.
On Tuesday evening in Rostock Bayern will have to combine their forces as the promoted team has impressed in their premiere season and are still impressing after their furious start with a record of 6-6 wins. Rostock's Stadthalle, sold out with just under 5,000 spectators, will be hoping for an offensive explosion against Munich (10-2), who have the second-best offense scoring around 90 points.
An offensively strong Rostock team
The leader of the newcomers to the BBL is 28-year-old American JeQuan Lewis, who moved to the ProA champions from Estonia. The playmaker averages 16.9 points and his 9.2 assists are the best in the BBL. He was injured in the road win in Crailsheim (103-91) and was absent in Frankfurt (101-83 loss), but is expected to play in this game. Top scorer with an average of 20 points is small forward Derrick Alston, 25, while guard Tyler Nelson (14,7 ppg) and forward Nijal Pearson (12,2 ppg, 7 rpg) are also impactful offensive players.
Bayern returns to Munich on Wednesday and have a training session at noon to prepare for Panathinaikos.