FC Bayern Munich's basketball team suffered a clear road defeat in the EuroLeague at the hands of Red Star Belgrade. the German champions lost 93-63 after a disappointing performance, thus losing their place in the upper half of the standings. With a tough atmosphere of almost 17,000 spectators in the Serbian capital, the FCBB got off to a good start with a 9-4 lead, before the hosts followed up with a 12-0 run of their own from which the Munich team never recovered. Given the hesitant defense and Bayern's clear inferiority in rebounding (37-29), a mere solid performance was enough for the Adriatic champions to pull off a win. Greg Monroe was the top scorer of the game with 20 points and captain Danilo Barthel was injured.
On Sunday, the FCBB will have to compete in the BBL in Vechta (5.1., 15:00).
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Points per quarter Bayern - Belgrade: 13-25, 18-28, 15-18, 17-22.
Facts & Figures - Two-point shooting: 45% (FCBB) // 62% (Belgrade); Three-point shooting: 19% // 40%; Free-throw shooting: 59% // 77%; Rebounds: 29 // 37; Assists: 13 // 21; Turnovers: 10 // 11 - Injured: TJ Bray (reconstruction after foot surgery) and Danilo Barthel (back problems).
FCBB Stats: Greg Monroe (20 points/5 rebounds), Vladimir Lucic (11), Petteri Koponen (6), Maodo Lo (6), Paul Zipser (6/6 rebounds), Diego Flaccadori (5), Leon Radosevic (5/6 rebounds), Mathias Lessort (2), Joshua Huestis (2), Nihad Djedovic and DeMarcus Nelson.
Quotes:
FCBB head coach, Dejan Radonjic: "Congratulations to Red Star, they played really well. Except for the first few minutes they controlled the action on the court. Defensively we saw a really weak game from Bayern, already in the first half we allowed 53 points. We were too soft, so Belgrade did everything they could to win the game clearly.
Greg Monroe: "We just have to play better, there is no excuse. We have to be better in all aspects of the game. We didn't go out and fight today. We just have to be better."
1st quarter
Radonjic started against his former club with Maodo Lo, Nihad Djedovic, Vladimir Lucic, Josh Huestis and Greg Monroe. The latter once again played very well and scored six points in a row - for a 6-0 lead for Bayern (2nd minute of play). But soon the Serbs also picked up speed, caught up thanks to annoying turnovers by Munich and took the lead in minute five, 10-9. The Germans struggled with their shooting and so Red Star, driven by a great home crowd, extended their run to 12-0 - time-out FCBB. The Munich team had good chances, but the ball still wouldn't find its way into the basket. Mathias Lessort scored a tip-in, Paul Zipser added two free throws but the score in the first quarter remained lopsided as the Munich team trailed by double-digits - 25-13.
2nd quarter
Belgrade continued to score well while Bayern was too careless both offensively and defensively and lost huge ground. A three did Munich good, but former Bayern player, Vladimir Stimac sank every shot to keep a big lead for Belgrade at 36-20. Nothing worked for the BBL league leader. The Munich team fought in vain for connection, but had considerable difficulties. After the second quarter they were confronted with a sobering 53-31 deficit.
3rd Quarter
The defense of the hosts remained tough and the lead didn't budge for the home club. By the middle of the quarter Bayern had only managed six points, Red Star continued to keep their feet on the gas. Lucic scored twice and Diego Flaccadori added a three but the deficit remained more than 20 points. By the end of the quarter the game was clearly out of hand, 71-46.
4th quarter
Bayern took an early time-out after 80 seconds - but even that didn't help anymore as the gap grew to 30 points a few moments later. Belgrade hit everything, the FCBB hardly anything - an exception being a nice tip-in from Josh Huestis with five minutes to play. In view of zero success on defense the Munich team disintegrated and the Serbs came to relatively easy basket and screwed their lead crept towards 40 points. Zipser, Lucic and Monroe shortened thei lead to 89-60 but the rebellion came too late.
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Photo Credits: Embroidery & Metlas