The Bavarian basketball team gave away a victory they thought was safe at Chemnitz: Head coach Andrea Trinchieri's team led 73-59 at the start of the fourth (31st) after a strong third period (26-13), before the Niners took the lead with clutch threes in the final minutes and landed the final punch through Dominique Johnson's three-pointer in the final second to make it a 85-83 loss for Bayern. Only twelve Munich points in the final quarter were not enough.
Munich had already come back from a double-digit deficit (31-21/11th), but the three-point quota and the narrowly won rebound duel still brought Chemnitz the win. For FCBB, it was the fourth defeat in the 18th BBL game. Bayern again had to do without Nihad Djedovic and Zan Mark Sisko, while Nick Weiler-Babb and Robin Amaize returned. D.J. Seeley and veteran James Gist were given a rest this time.
The Munich squad will head to France midweek to host Lyon-Villeurbanne on Friday night (20:45). Asvel has won its last five games in the EuroLeague, including most recently against Italian title contender Milan.
Chemnitz - FC Bayern Basketball 85-83 (46-45)
FCBB:
Jalen Reynolds (19 PTS/4 REB), Nick Weiler-Babb (17 PTS/5 STL), Vladimir Lucic (13 PTS), Paul Zipser (8 PTS/4 AST/4 REB), Diego Flaccadori (7 PTS/3 AST), Leon Radosevic (5 PTS/3 REB), JJ Johnson (6 PTS), Wade Baldwin (5 PTS/4 AST), Jason George (3 PTS/4 REB), Sasha Grant (2 REB), Matej Rudan und Robin Amaize
Top scorer Chemnitz:
M. Thornton (21 Points)
Points per quarter Bayern - Chemnitz: 21-28, 24-18, 26-13, 12-26.
Stats: Two-point shooting: 56% (FCBB) // 56% (Chemnitz); Three-point shooting: 32% // 52%; Free-throw shooting: 82% // 72%; Rebounds: 28 // 29; Assists: 17 // 18; Turnovers: 12 // 16.
Quotes:
Andrea Trinchieri: "We stopped playing in the last three minutes, that cost us the game. A series of concentration mistakes and wrong decisions on defense destroyed the nice lead we had built with a good performance."
Vladimir Lucic: "We didn't play it to the end. I don't know how we could squander that lead. But part of the game is also concentration."
Game recap:
Trinchieri again relied on the youngsters given the personnel situation, as this time Jason George, 19, was in the starting lineup for the first time ever. The U20 international defended well, logging a whopping 16 minutes by the break. The Niners, meanwhile, immediately distinguished themselves with one of their great qualities, sinking two three-pointers. Flaccadori countered with five points and Radosevic took the first lead with a three-point play (8-6/3rd). The game was varied and intense, Nick Weiler-Babb used his first shot after his injury for a successful three-pointer but an 8-0 run by Chemnitz prompted Trinchieri to call a timeout as Bayern was down seven (24-17/9th). The interruption slowed the hosts, but Bayern trailed 28-21 after the first quarter.
The Niners impressed with their three-point shooting and Bayern found themselves ten points behind (31-21/11th). FCBB increased the intensity on defense, and things got better on the other side of the court promting an 11-2 run for Bayern. The promoted team not only defended the lead, but extended it again (34:42/17). George made a three-pointer to make it 37:42 (18.). The Munich team came back to within one point by halftime with a determined spurt in between - 45:46.
Munich drove up the intensity, a three-pointer by Lucic meant a 50-47 lead after 90 seconds of the third quarter. Bayern played well and repeatedly looked for the unstoppable Jalen Reynolds, but the Niners would not be shaken off (55-53/24th). Reynolds was sought and found by his teammates over and over as the center impressed with a 10-0 run (63-58/27th). Munich pulled away point by point towards double figures and Weiler-Babb converted four free throws in a row to make it 68-58 (29th). After quarter number three, Munich was ahead 71-59.
Turnovers quickly complicated Bayern's plan to pull away further. A Johnson jumper from his favorite position on the baseline stopped the comeback but Chemnitz, which never gave up, lurked and promptly took advantage of every lack of concentration. Trinchieri hurriedly interrupted a 5-0 run with a timeout (77-68/36th). Lucic extremely cool with a three-pointer to 80-68, but Chemnitz answered again with an 8-0 run to shorten Bayern's lead to four (80-76/38th). After three Wimberg free throws and an errant Thornton three-pointer, the Niners grabbed the lead with 72 seconds left (82-81) butBaldwin countered with a basket (83-82 Bayern/ 53 seconds left). An offensive foul led to a loss of the ball with 23 seconds left - and Chemnitz cleverly took advantage of the time and decided the game with a lightning-clean buzzerbeater by Johnson.
TO THE SCHEDULE
Photo Credit: Stickel & Stimpel
