The second week of January, the next mountain stages: FC Bayern Basketball is battling through the first month of the year, facing two second-place teams, both away games within less than 48 hours. The main focus is on the challenging task Friday evening against EuroLeague title contender Olympiacos Piraeus. Tip-off in the Greek port city is at 8:15 p.m. (MagentaSport).
On Sunday (4:30 p.m./Dyn), Munich will face BBL second-place team Heidelberg, which is moving back to the Mannheim Arena for its matchup with FCBB. Next week is a double week, but at least back at home: Wednesday against league leader AS Monaco and Friday against Virtus Bologna (both at 8:30 p.m. in the SAP Garden).
"This is the tough part of the schedule: we play Friday, Sunday, Wednesday, and then Friday again within eight days. We have injuries, but every team has to go through this right now; we have to push through, and resistance shapes you," said Bayern head coach Gordon Herbert.
Still Without Weiler-Babb, Da Silva, and Kharchenkov Questionable
Given the limited energy reserves and several absences, it's logical and situationally necessary that the focus is currently more on the EuroLeague, as the Canadian coach explained during Wednesday's media talk. "If you're trying to make the EuroLeague playoffs, the next few weeks are the big games. Of course, it would be great to stay in first place in the BBL, but you can still go into the playoffs as the second, third, or fourth seed."
What this means for short- and medium-term prioritization remains to be seen. For the upcoming weekend, Herbert confirmed that Nick Weiler-Babb will once again be rested (left thumb). Additionally, Oscar da Silva (twisted ankle in Berlin) and Ivan Kharchenkov (illness) are doubtful for Friday.
Facing Another All-Star Team in Athens
In Athens, the German champions will face another all-star team, which, along with local rival Panathinaikos, remains a top favorite in the battle for the European crown. The team led by returning star Sasha Vezenkov (19.1 PPG, 6.3 RPG) is tied with Monaco (13-6) at the top of the standings. Bayern (11-9) will play away for the fourth time in their last five EuroLeague games.
In addition to Vezenkov, the 2022/2023 MVP, NBA recruit Evan Fournier (15.4 PPG) has emerged as the team's second-leading scorer, though the Frenchman will be sidelined due to illness. Nevertheless, head coach Georgios Bartzokas has a deep and elite roster at his disposal. With names like Luca Vildoza, Shaquille McKissic (8.8 PPG), Nikola Milutinov (8.8 PPG, 6.2 RPG), Alec Peters, Tyler Dorsey, Moustapha Fall, and Thomas Walkup, this squad boasts a combination of quality and experience that is hard to match.
"I’ve always watched a lot of EuroLeague, and Olympiacos the most," says Gordie Herbert. "They have their style, move the ball exceptionally well, and simply know how to play. They undoubtedly have tremendous quality."
Tarlac’s Return
This time, the team's travel guide is Sporting Director Dragan Tarlac. The Serbian played nearly a decade for Olympiacos (1991–2000) before moving to the Chicago Bulls, winning five Greek championships, two Greek Cups, and the 1997 EuroLeague title during his time there. After six months in Munich, the 51-year-old reflects positively on his early tenure and encourages optimism for the weeks ahead, despite setbacks. "We have to commend our players. They always try to play hard and have brought us to where we are now. We are proud of what we’ve achieved so far and know there’s still plenty of room for improvement."
When asked about the current personnel situation, Tarlac responded: "Signing new players isn’t always the solution. But as a professional organization, we are, of course, keeping an eye on the market." Additionally, captain Vladimir Lucic, who sustained a significant blow to his calf in the Cup quarterfinal in Bonn, is nearing his return. "The process of his recovery is 90 percent complete. We hope he’ll rejoin team training next week."
The Next FCBB Games
- Friday, January 10, 8:15 p.m.: 20th EuroLeague Game Day, Olympiakos Piraeus - FCBB
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Sunday, January 12, 4:30 p.m.: 13th easyCredit BBL Game Day, MLP Academics Heidelberg - FCBB (in Mannheim)
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Wednesday, January 15, 8:30 p.m.: 21st EuroLeague Game Day, FCBB – AS Monaco (SAP Garden)
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Friday, January 24, 8:00 PM: Round 23 of the EuroLeague, Alba Berlin vs. FCBB
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Sunday, January 26, 3:00 PM: Round 15 of the easyCredit BBL, FCBB vs. Bamberg Baskets (BMW Park)