97:89 upset in the Garden debut against Madrid's stars

Showtime at the SAP Garden! In a thrilling premiere at the new Olympiapark arena, Bayern’s basketball team overwhelmed EuroLeague favorites Real Madrid with an outstanding performance, winning 97:89 (52:51). Before surprise act Sido descended from the ceiling and took over the sold-out venue, Gordon Herbert's team delivered an inspiring display in a high-class duel.

A stunning push to an 11-point lead just before crunch time in the exhilarating final quarter (33:16) wore down the Spanish champions, and captain Lucic sealed the victory to kick off the new season of the EuroLeague. Bayern's top scorers were guard Napier (25), world champion Voigtmann (19/5 three-pointers), and Edwards (14). The German champions made 15 three-pointers.

All the stats from the game

Voigtmann from downtown

Bayern started the game noticeably inspired by the atmosphere, playing sprightly and confidently. Three-pointers from Obst, Napier, and twice from Voigtmann maintained the lead (25:18/8). But Real showcased their quality, with Rathan-Mayes hitting the first buzzer beater from midcourt - 26:29.

The same story in the second quarter: Bayern picked up the pace, now with Edwards, and Voigtmann scored again - 49:38 (17). However, the nice lead quickly vanished as Campazzo orchestrated the Royals' comeback, making it 50:49 (19).

64:73 before the final quarter

A 2:13 downturn briefly cooled the arena after halftime - suddenly the deficit was 54:64 (26). Real moved the ball better after Bayern had recorded 13 assists (out of 22) by halftime. Musa and Tavares scored at the rim.

But Bayern came back, and how: Giffey lit up the Garden with the next three-pointer, tying the game at 75:75 (34) - and then Edwards, Napier, and the cool long-range shooter Voigtmann gave them the lead at 88:77 (-3:33)!

Five points was Real's stubborn response, with Campazzo scoring from the line, bringing it to 90:89 with 20 seconds left. And then? Then Bayern stayed cool, with Lucic making five free throws after Campazzo's foul - victory, party, Sido.

Quotes

Gordon Herbert: "It was a rollercoaster ride. Both teams had momentum at different times. We had a difficult start to the third quarter, and then the bench did a fantastic job. We never gave up hope and kept fighting. It was a great performance from our players."

Andreas Obst: "New arena, of course, there’s a bit of excitement that gives an extra boost. We had some tough phases at the beginning but didn’t let that unsettle us. In the end, we fought, showed character, and shot well. Of course, it’s really nice to get the first win in the SAP Garden. It feels great to start this era like this."

Johannes Voigtmann: "If we could have imagined it, we would have pictured it exactly like this with the comeback in the fourth quarter. The crowd was really there and got a sense of what is possible for the first time. It just feels really good right now. It was super loud and very emotional. Carsen made a few plays for us. It was really good. Such a victory certainly helps to kick things off. We used the entire preparation to bring the team together and become a unit. In the end, it’s about trusting my teammate on the court, and today was a good first step in the EuroLeague."

Shabazz Napier: "It was fantastic to play against one of the best teams in Europe today. The fans did a fantastic job and pushed us to victory. Even when things weren’t going well and we were tired, we stuck together. We did a great job in the fourth quarter. It was simply a great team effort today."

FCBB's Upcoming Games

• Sunday, October 6, 3 PM: 4th BBL matchday, BG Göttingen – FCBB
• Thursday, October 10, 8:15 PM: 2nd EuroLeague matchday, Panathinaikos Athens – FCBB
• Sunday, October 13, 6 PM: Cup Round of 16, Telekom Baskets Bonn – FCBB
• Tuesday, October 15, 8:45 PM: 3rd EuroLeague matchday, Partizan Belgrade – FCBB
• Thursday, October 17, 8:45 PM: 4th EuroLeague matchday, FCBB – Paris Basket (SAP Garden)

FC Bayern Basketball schedule