FC Bayern's basketball team ended its long week on the road with a convincing victory and made an impressive comeback after their EuroLeague loss in Milan. Head coach Andrea Trinchieri's team won the game in Bayreuth with a commanding 98-78 victory and remain in the top group in the BBL at fourth place with a 20-4 record. Bayern's short ten-man squad, missing the ailing Vladimir Lucic (back), Nihad Djedovic, Zan Mark Sisko and Robin Amaize (both muscle injuries), defended with energy and commitment for almost the entire 40 minutes in their revenge for their huge loss to Bayreuth in October, winning all quarters and hitting 14 three-pointers. Six players scored in double figures, top scorers were Wade Baldwin (17) and Nick Weiler-Babb (16).
The Munich team will spend the next week in Russia for two EuroLeague games: on Tuesday, they reunite with Devin Booker and Stefan Jovic at Khimki Moscow, and on Friday evening (both 18:00./MagentaSport), the FCBB plays host to title favorite ZSKA Moscow. The week ends on Sunday with a home game at the Audi Dome against current BBL runners-up Crailsheim.
Medi Bayreuth - FC Bayern Basketball 78-98 (43-49)
FCBB:
Wade Baldwin (17 Points/7 Assists), Nick Weiler-Babb (16/4 Threes), D.J. Seeley (15/5 Threes/5 Assists), JaJuan Johnson (13/7 Rebounds), James Gist (12), Jalen Reynolds (11), Leon Radosevic (7), Paul Zipser (5), Sasha Grant (2) und Jason George.
Topscorer Bayreuth:
Frank Bartley und Osvaldas Olisevicius (jeweils 18 Points)
Referee
Oliver Krause, Steve Bittner, Michael Gutting
Points per quarter Bayern - Bayreuth: 24-21, 25-22, 19-26, 1623.
Stats: Two-point shooting: 58% (FCBB) // 47% (Bayreuth); Three-point shooting: 54% // 46%; Free-throw shooting: 60% // 85%; Rebounds: 31 // 30; Assists: 20 // 17; Turnovers: 10 // 18.
Quotes:
Andrea Trinchieri: "Congratulations to my players, because our journey started on Tuesday and we are still on the road. It's never easy in Bayreuth and we're coming off a terrible game, our worst of the season. But we fought back as a team, everyone helped. We played unselfishly, helped each other on defense. We are going home now with a very good mood, with good vibes on the team. The whole game we worked very well, we worked the rock and then the fourth quarter came the result of what we did before that. We never took a step back on defense in the first quarters, that was the key. Now we can at least sleep in our own bed for a night and a half. Then we'll go to Moscow on Monday and prepare for Khimki."
Raoul Korner, Coach Bayreuth: "Against such a team you have to top their energy and we didn't manage that today, Bayern countered very well. That's why we have to live with this defeat."
Game recap:
Trinchieri started Nick Weiler-Babb, D.J. Seeley, James Gist, JaJuan Johnson and Leon Radosevic less than 48 hours after the Milan disappointment. Against the motivated Franconians, the FCBB, who started a bit cautiously, faced a 9-3 deficit (3rd). Five points from Gist kept the Munich team in the game (12-9/5th). The hosts scored excellently from beyond the three-point line, but Bayern matched their success and Baldwin's three gave them their first lead (18-17/8th). Weiler-Babb's buzzer beater at the quarter break was also a three-pointer, Bayern's sixth of the game, which ended the first quarter with a 24-21 lead.
The Munich team had now found what they had so painfully missed in Milan: rhythm. Another three-pointer by Weiler-Babb and a three-point play gave them a 30-24 lead (12th). The game picked up momentum with neither team defending with any consistency. Munich had turnovers under control (only four before the break) and kept just in front (37-35/16th). Weiler-Babb sank his fourth three-pointer (43-38/18th). Oldie Gist and youngster Grant played well on the offensive boards and both scored with putbacks (47-41/19th). A very solid performance by half-time gave the guests the 49-43 lead.
The pattern from the second period continued: FCBB successfully closed out on both sides of the ball and maintained the lead, but Bayreuth fought back every time and refused to be shaken off (59-55/25th). A 6-0 spurt brought the first double-digit lead (65-55/27th). Bayern now broke away with momentum and held it together with defense. Baldwin was brilliant in both scoring and distributing and brought the lead to 75-62 after three quarters. The Munich team turned up the heat defensively in the final ten minutes, with Medi going minutes without a basket. The 12-0 run across two quarters lifted the lead above the 20-point mark, and 94-69 (37th) proved to be the biggest lead of the game.
TO THE SCHEDULE
Photo credit: Stickel, Ochs