Bayern comes from behind late

Less than 48 hours after the difficult EuroLeague game in Spain, FC Bayern's basketball players won the top-class BBL game against Oldenburg. Head coach Andrea Trinchieri's team was down 83-73 in the final quarter (23rd), but tied things up just over two minutes later and played their best basketball to finish the game. The FCBB (36-8 points) thus consolidated their spot in third place in the standings and moved a little closer to the top again due to Ludwigsburg's loss (40-4) in Crailsheim. Oldenburg is now a bit back (34:12 points).

The top scorers against the EWE Baskets were Paul Zipser with his new BBL personal record of 28 points and Wade Baldwin (21), who collected twelve of Munich's 39 points in the final quarter. The hosts won the rebound duel 38-19 (16-2 offensive). Trinchieri was without D.J. Seeley, Nick Weiler-Babb and Diego Flaccadori this time, Nihad Djedovic (knee) is also still injured.

In the BBL, it continues for Bayern on Tuesday evening: Starting at 20:30 the Telekom Baskets Bonn tip-off against Bayern in the Audi Dome. Friday sees a faceoff in the EuroLeague against the current high-flying team Efes Istanbul, Sunday then at BBL fifth-place Crailsheim, Tuesday against the MBC, Thursday in Valencia, Saturday in Hamburg and so on and so forth ... .

Points per quarter Bayern - Oldernburg: 18-20, 28-22, 23-32, 39-28

Stats: Two-point shooting: 61% (FCBB) // 65% (Oldenburg); Three-point shooting: 40% // 52%; Free-throw shooting: 9 2% // 74%; Rebounds: 38 // 19; Assists: 21 // 21; Turnovers: 12 // 11

Quotes:
Andrea Trinchieri: "At first it was not the game we wanted to have with that high score. But when you have players on the other side like Hornsby and Pressey, who almost had the game of their lives and together score more than 50 points, of course it's hard to avoid that. It was a great Sunday for us because we came back from a ten-point deficit in the final quarter and also won the direct comparison (overall score from two games). That was very important. And: we won a high-scoring game, which suits Oldenburg more than us. We played in Vítoria less than 48 hours ago, we had a long trip back and we were able to perform like that despite an unusual lineup. I have to congratulate my players for that - they had great resilience and kept their composure when Oldenburg hit tough shots and we were down by ten. In the end we had strong individual play with Baldwin, Lucic, Gist and Zipser. It was difficult to stop them, but they didn't stop us. It doesn't mean anything for the next games. Anyway, I am not an optimist, I am a nihilist and that is even worse than pessimist. However, I am very happy to have these players, they are just great because they hate to lose."

Paul Zipser: "We fought very well against an extremely offensively strong Oldenburg, who scored 102 points. The team gave everything and finished well."

Game recap:
Trinchieri selected Wade Baldwin, Vladimir Lucic, David Kramer, JaJuan Johnson and James Gist as the starting five. FCBB needed two minutes for the first basket and it was Gist who scored. The importance of the game could be seen in the frequency of fouls and after three minutes the referees had already whistled eight times. The Oldenburgers, who last won in Berlin, were leading - but the Munichers stayed in the game (9-8/5th). The FCBB could rely on Zipser and his first three-pointer was sunk but they were still behind (15-14/8th). Bayern struggled to find a rhythm on offense and were down two after ten minutes, 20-18.

FCBB intensified its defense and moved the ball much more better in the front court. The lead change was only a matter of time - 140 seconds to be exact: Sisko was the man to hit the three-pointer to take a 25-23. BBL legend Rickey Paulding kept the Lower Saxons in the game and equalized with six points in a row, 29-29 (15th). Bayern's good defense provoked Oldenburg turnovers and Trinchieri's men pulled away 39-31 (18th). Braydon Hobbs is always a welcome guest at the Audi Dome - unless he hits crazy threes like the one that made it 45-42 but after one half the Munich team was ahead 46-42.

Although Bayern defended with energy the guests found their way around it and equalized at 48-48 (23rd). A rapid 10-2 run forced the Baskets Oldenburg to take a timeout and at this point the top game was living up to its high expectations. The FCBB kept the upper hand (62-58/27th) while almost every shot of both teams was a basket and Baldwin once again sank one from behind the arc. Oldenburg continued to hit everything, especially the impossible shots, and regained the lead (68-67/29th). All of the guests' shots found their way into the basket and Bayern was down five, 74-69 after the third quarter.

The momentum was now completely on Oldenburg's side (80-71/32nd) and especially with Keith Hornsby who was unstoppable. But Lucic hit a three-pointer and Zipser was also there with five points to get back to within one (85-84/34th). In just two minutes twenty the Munich squad had overcome a ten-point deficit. Baldwin scored on the run and Sisko hit to take the lead again (99-97/ with 85 seconds left). The stop succeeded, Baldwin danced around his opponent and scored which was followed by a Oldenburg's Phil Pressey dunk. In the next attack Baldwin got the offensive rebound and Zipser sank a three-pointer with ice in his veins for a 104-99 lead (12 seconds left). 

TO THE SCHEDULE

Photo credit: Stickel, Matzke, Eirich