Bayern is in the Cup final after semifinal thriller

After a 50-minute overtime thriller, the Bayern Basketball team is now in the German Cup final. Head coach Andrea Trinchieri's team defeated Ulm, the team which had been on a hot streak, in the first semifinal after a show of strength in double overtime 104-102. After a convincing first half, the Munich defense and overall energy noticeably slackened in the third quarter when they allowed 32 points to the Swabians. At the beginning of the fourth quarter, the FCBB was behind for the first time since the 0-3 (71-69/31st). Reynolds conceded his fifth foul and Bayern looked in vain for solutions on both sides. With 65 seconds left, the score was 84-80 in favor of  Ulm  when top scorer Vladimir Lucic (24) tied the game but missed the shot to win. In the first overtime the FCBB had the chance to win but finally put it away in the second overtime.

The final will be played on Sunday at 15:00 in the Audi Dome against the winner of the second game between Goettingen and Berlin.

Points per quarter Bayern - Ulm: 26-18, 23-18, 20-32, 15-16 / 7-7, 13-11

Stats: Two-point shooting: 62% (FCBB) // 40% (Ulm); Three-point shooting: 30% // 37%; Free-throw shooting: 63% // 76%; Rebounds: 47 // 44; Assists: 26 // 17; Turnovers: 14 // 10.

Quotes:
Andrea Trinchieri: "We had a very good first half and I think the turning point was the last possession before the break when we gave them three more free throws. After that Ulm came out of the locker room better, they played hard and we had a lot of turnovers that we shouldn't have had. But I want to congratulate my players how they won this game even though several players were fouled out. It was not easy, we won a big game. (...) It's not about whether we are tired or not now, this is just our condition now. We had a very bad game before, we really suffered in that position. In the first half everyone was in rhythm, in the second everyone was without rhythm. In the second half we were like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde getting our bad face out, we were very bad there. But again, I go home with the feeling that this team doesn't want to lose and is fighting. In this situation, with the amount of games we've played and with our injuries, we're not the best team. But if someone else wants to win, they have to be better."               

Vladimir Lucic: "What a crazy game, this is just the cup. We had a good first half, but in the second and in overtime we made so many mistakes. However, we fought and managed it well in the end to win despite the mistakes."

Jaka Lakovic, Coach Ulm: "I have to congratulate my players for a great game, for a great fight, for great character and cohesion. We played against a great EuroLeague team and them with a full squad this time, and we were a real opponent. I think we had the chance to win three times, but the shots didn't go in for different reasons, sometimes because of a strong defense of Bayern, sometimes because of the tiredness of my players. That's just basketball, but the reason for our defeat was in a detail, and it was not basketball, but the control of our emotions, which we did not possess in some close moments. But congratulations to Bayern, we have to recover now. (...) I don't know if there will be a sanction (to protest), and honestly I don't expect it."         

Game recap:
Wade Baldwin, D.J. Seeley, Vladimir Lucic, JaJuan Johnson and James Gist made up the starting five for Bayern. Both teams threw everything into the mix from the first second: defense was crisp, and the scoring was good up front. After just under five minutes of play and a 7-0 spurt, the Munich team was leading 15-9. Zipser came off the bench and directly delivered a three-pointer for a 20-11  lead (8th). The FCBB had turnovers and rebounding under control, the good shooting also testified to will and concentration - 26-18 after ten minutes.

Baldwin and Sisko were together on the floor and together built the lead to 30-20 (12th). Reynolds was unstoppable, midway through quarter two he already had 13 points (34-24/14th). Bayern's defense stood firm and the double-digit lead was maintained. Lucic emulated Reynolds in terms of flawless scoring and scored a beautiful basket to bring the lead to 40-26 (16th) - timeout Ulm. Bayern robbed Ulm of its strengths and did not let up a bit in front, attacking the basket and increasing the lead (45-29/19th). Baldwin was served fantastically by Sisko after a backdoor cut and a dunk was the icing on the cake of a well-designed play (47-31/19th). Youngster Grant also contributed with an offensive rebound and at halftime Munich led 49-36. 

The momentum had clearly changed at the end of the second quarter and this was quickly apparent as Ulm came out of the break more aggressive. Baldwin and Johnson pushed the lead back up to 15 (55-40/23rd) but Ulm's Andreas Obst took control of the game and initiated a 7-0 run, which Lucic initially stopped with a three-point play (60-49/25th). Obst continued to hit from outside with his fifth three-pointer (62-57/26th). The FCBB ran out of steam and the momentum was completely with the opponent, who clearly decided the third quarter (32-20) while Bayern held a narrow lead, 68-66.

The Munich team was completely out of rhythm and no longer scored and Ulm went in front (71-69/31st). Reynolds again asserted himself strongly under the basket and was punished for a harmless emotional reaction with a technical foul, unfortunately his fifth. Bayern was now confused and lost the ball and the consistent double teaming by Ulm was not the only reason for this. Sisko's three-pointer kept them withing three points and was eminently important (37th). At the start of crunch time, Bayern was down, and once again it couldn't have been more exciting. Lucic was the man of the moment- first he drew an offensive foul, then he sank the three-pointer with 55 seconds left on the clock (84-83 Ulm). Again, Lucic was fouled, but converted only one of two free throws (84-84/32 seconds left). A strong defensive sequence prevented Ulm from scoring, Lucic had the shot to decide the game in hand, but the ball rolled out - overtime.

A Obst three-pointer opened this extra time and Bayern was again under pressure (87-84/41st). The FCBB was looking for organization and Johnson's fifth foul was not good news. Zipser and Baldwin each missed a free throw, but the game was still close. Bayern looked cramped and tired, but a Zipser basket cut it to 91-88(44th). 35 seconds were still on the clock when Lucic was fouled on a three-pointer, he sank the three free throws - 91-91. A three-pointer by Obst was well defended and forced a second overtime.

Obst now shot away and Seeley came free for a dunk to take the lead (93-91/46th). Bayern now looked more focused and passionate. Lucic and Zipser scored for but Ulm answered again from beyond the three-point line (97-96/48th). The third (!) crunch time was dawning when Seeley sank a three-pointer and shortly afterwards Radosevic also put it home (102-96/76 seconds left). A great defensive play by Lucic won the ball and Zipser scored for what seemed like a game-sealing bucket(104-96/ 26 seconds left). But within 18 seconds the persistent Ulm team scored to make it 104-101 (8 seconds left). Baldwin got carried away with a foul and turned the ball over. Bayern fouled but Obst converted only one of the free throws (104-102). Leon Radosevic was fouled immediately after the rebound, of course, but missed both free throws. Ulm's Petrucelli still had the chance to snatch the victory from the Munich players at the buzzer but the game went to Bayern. Ulm lodged a protest, as the entire game management including commissioner and officials as well as everyone else on and around the court noticed Baldwin's fifth foul too late.    

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