The FCBB never find their rhythm and concede a clear 75-51 defeat

FC Bayern's basketball players were unable to build on their previous performances at any time on the 21st gameday of the EuroLeague. Head coach Andrea Trinchieri's team lost 75-51 at favored Italian squad, Armani Olimpia Milan on Thursday night after a disappointing performance. After a first half with 13 turnovers and little fortune on offense, the deficit was too big too early when facing an experienced Final Four contender. The FCBB's record is still positive at 12-9.

Bayern can already bounce back on Saturday in the BBL Southern rivalry game in Bayreuth, although the tip-off will be just 48 hours after the game at Milan's Mediolanum Forum (Jan. 23, 20:30/MagentaSport).

Points per quarter Bayern - Milan: 10-20, 10-22, 21-15, 12-16.

Stats: Two-point shooting: 36% (FCBB) // 50% (Milan); Three-point shooting: 14% // 38%; Free-throw shooting: 72% // 84%; Rebounds: 38 // 34; Assists: 7 // 15; Turnovers: 20 // 14.

Quotes:
Andrea Trinchieri: "Congratulations to Milan, they deserved the win. They were better in every aspect of the game: their concentration, approach, robustness and in understanding what was needed in this duel. We just weren't there at all. It started with the small details, which then together became a big thing. It was just a very bad night, we embarrassed ourselves and we're disappointed in ourselves. But it would be too easy to point the finger at anyone right now. A performance like that can happen during a season like this; it shouldn't happen, but it can. We need to get back to playing the right way as soon as possible."

Vladimir Lucic: "We really had a bad game. The bad start then affected our rhythm and our game for the next three or three and a half quarters. We knew it was going to be a difficult game, but we didn't respond to it like we should have. Now we have to try to come back in 48 hours in the BBL."

Game recap:
Wade Baldwin, D.J. Seeley, Vladimir Lucic, James Gist and Leon Radosevic got off to a bumpy start, taking nearly four minutes to score their first basket; a jump shot by Weiler-Babb to make it 6-2. Halfway through the opening quarter, Trinchieri called a timeout as his team trailed 13-2 and had already committed six turnovers. A three-pointer by Paul Zipser broke the spell, but did nothing to change the 20-10 deficit after the first quarter.

Bad luck at the front, coordination problems at the back - the FCBB were struggling and desperately looking for a hint of rhythm. In vain: Milan did not score well either, but Bayern lost turnover after turnover and the shooting was weak (31-13/17th). After a sobering first half and again only ten points in the second quarter, the FCBB was down 42-20.

Trinchieri said at halftime, "We now have to show that we are there at all and do everything better." But after 73 seconds he already took another timeout (47-20/22nd) . Reynolds and Gist managed offensive actions that seemed to breathe some rhythm into Bayern's game but the hope was in vain (58-32/38th). The experienced northern Italians increased their lead further, to 63-35 at the end of the third quarter.

At least, Bayern showed character and morale. They fought with an 8-0 run to save face but the former FCBB member, Malcolm Delaney, stopped the run with a three-pointer (66-43/35th). The game had long been decided.

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Photo credit: Giuseppe Cottini