Herbert’s “Supermen” Defeat Olympiakos

Wow! In front of 11,200 spectators in the electrifying atmosphere of the sold-out SAP Garden, Bayern Basketball defeated the title contender Olympiakos Piraeus 84:80 (32:43) on Friday evening. After five EuroLeague game days, Gordon Herbert’s team improved their record to 3:2. Top scorer Carsen Edwards scored another 30 points, Devin Booker added 20, and Nick Weiler-Babb, who played much of the game with four fouls, contributed ten points and nine assists.  

A brief lapse by Munich before halftime allowed the favorite to pull ahead, leading by as much as twelve points and taking advantage of the cold shooting hands of Munich from distance—until a thrilling comeback by FC Bayern Basketball in the final quarter turned into an edge-of-your-seat thriller. Big shots from Edwards and Napier capped off another stunning win.

This Sunday afternoon (4:30 PM / Dyn & free on Welt TV), Würzburg will visit the also sold-out BMW Park for the season’s first BBL derby. On Tuesday, FCBB will face Bologna on the road.

Yet No Lucic Comeback

The Bayern team had to play once again without captain Lucic, alongside Giffey, as Lucic's muscle bruise proved to be more persistent than expected. However, his teammates found inspiration quickly, countering the favored Olympiakos with high-tempo resistance right from the start (28:26/14).

Both teams had a slow start with three-point shots, while Olympiakos capitalized on offensive rebounds, converting these second-chance opportunities in the half-court (32:43/20). A 0:12 slump before halftime resulted partly from Bayern’s unusually low 17% shooting accuracy from beyond the arc (3/17).

Edwards with 30 points

When shots from downtown didn’t land, Bayern drove hard to the basket, especially through Weiler-Babb and once again Edwards—leading to a 55:54 comeback (27). Olympiakos responded with experience, answering Bayern’s 66:65 lead with two tough three-pointers. But with just three minutes left, FCBB seized the momentum at last, going up 79:72 after Edwards’ long three.

Two late turnovers briefly revived Olympiakos and the hopes of about 1,500 Greek fans. Yet Bayern’s defense fought hard, and free throws from Booker and finally Edwards sealed the victory and the celebrations.

Quotes

Gordon Herbert, Head Coach FC Bayern Basketball: “We had a rough three or four minutes at the end of the second quarter. The real key was the first few minutes after halftime. Jo (Voigtmann) set the tone with his energy and rebounding. We came out with the mindset to catch up and play hard. We were much more physical, and we had some guys who played Superman minutes. This is a great win for our fans; the crowd was incredible, a fantastic sixth man, and a great atmosphere. A lot of credit also goes to our players; it was a great performance. You know we had a setback last weekend, but the guys accepted it and responded. (…) Nick had a tough start to the game, but he really fought through. He rebounded, had nine assists, and made tough shots at the beginning of the third quarter. He’s a multidimensional player who contributes on both ends. (…) When we fight and play hard, we get the crowd behind us. They helped us come back in all three home games. This is an incredible arena, state of the art. But what really makes it special are the people.”

Carsen Edwards: “I’m glad we won. We started a bit slow. But we came together, got defensive stops—that’s the best way for us. We can build on that, but we still have a lot to do. (…) We stayed together, whether shots were falling or not. If our defense is consistent, we can build on that. (…) It’s never fun to work a lot in the post, but it is what it is. We’ll keep working; I’ll keep working on my post defense and whatever else I need to improve on.”

Devin Booker: “It feels great to have turned it around at the end. I’m proud of my guys. (…) It’s tough; it’s always hard against Olympiakos. They always have a great team, especially this year. But we played at home, in front of our fans. That gave us an advantage. We made some tough shots and missed a few easy ones—but we fought until the end. (…) The energy from the fans felt great, especially in the last quarter. We needed it most when we were tired and mentally drained; they gave us an extra boost.”