Nick Weiler-Babb leads Bayern to a successful BBL kick-off

The FC Bayern Munich basketball team won the opening game of their tenth BBL season against Rasta Vechta 90-78 only 45 hours after the intense defensive battle in the EuroLeague against Belgrade (74-59). The team did not show their best defensive performance, but in the end they had the necessary performance on offense and were in the lead for all 40 minutes. Nick Weiler-Babb decided the game with four threes during the last four minutes and was the top scorer for Bayern with 21 points while Vladimir Lucic and Wade Baldwin, among others, got a break.

Next Friday (13.11.) the next home game in the Audi Dome is on the agenda, when fourth-place Valencia around Derrick Williams will come to play in the Audi Dome (20:30/MagentaSport).

Points per quarter Bayern - Vechta : 27-16, 17-24, 22-19, 24-19.

Stats: two-point shooting: 73% (FCBB) // 45% (Vechta); three-point shooting: 46% // 41%; free-throw shooting: 75% // 77%; rebounds: 30 // 28; assists: 25 // 22; turnovers: 10 // 11.

Quotes:
FCBB head coach, Andrea Trinchieri: "It is obvious that we did not shine. We were always a step too late today, in everything, but the most important thing is that we won the game. That was the goal for today, after we spent so much mental and physical energy on Friday evening. We have to learn very quickly to regenerate within a day and then be ready to perform again. Vechta played hard and was well prepared. We have to be better, but I also understand that it is not easy to handle this speed mentally and physically. We have to find a way to adapt quickly with a new squad. What I didn't like was that those who were supposed to give us fresh legs after the tough game on Friday didn't do their job. That's the only thing that worries me. I can't expect a perfect game, I know that."

Thomas Päch, Coach Rasta: "My team was seen to have not played a basketball game for two weeks. We were a bit sluggish, the liveliness was missing in many aspects. In the end the difference was Nick Weiler-Babb, who closed the bag at the right moments. Our plan was that we would be in the game as long as we could. We did that well. In the end, of course, we still have a lot to learn, both physically and in terms of content. The other difference besides Weiler-Babb was that Munich played very physically, but in a good way. They moved their feet and tried to keep their hands off. This is something we definitely have to measure up to and improve on."

Nick Weiler-Babb: "That was a really hard game today. Vechta played really well, hit difficult throws and really challenged us. So we had to improve in the defense, the 90 points in the offense usually have to be enough at home. My teammates and my coach give me self-confidence every day, and if you know that, you also manage the really difficult and important throws.

Game Recap:
FCBB Coach Trinchieri started the first BBL game of the 2020/21 season with Zan Mark Sisko, Nihad Djedovic, Robin Amaize, JaJuan Johnson and Malcolm Thomas. Munich quickly led 5-0 with buckets from Johnson and Djedovic, but the defense was lacking. Free throws brought Vechta back to a 5-5 tie wih three minutes played. Trinchieri's encouraging words from the sidelines ensured more defensive commitment and Diego Flaccadori made it a double-digit game (21-11/8.). The game plan worked out perfectly at this point to take a 27-16 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Vechta tightened the strings and Munich lost their rhythm a little as Rasta came closer and Trinchieri was forced to take a time-out (29-24/14.). His words were fruitful: Six points within half a minute were not a bad result(35-24/15.). In view of the seemingly unthreatened lead, the Bayern defense was not performing to their potential and Vechta remained in the game (40-34/18.). After one half of play the FCBB was leading 44-40.

Nick Weiler-Babb was crystal clear in his end-of-half interview; defense was the problem for Bayern. Munich came out of the break with a different attitude - as can be seen from the 9-1 run within 100 seconds - time out Vechta (53-41/22.) The FCBB began to act like the favorites and aimed for a double-digit lead, but Vechta wouldn't allow it (58-50/27.). Instead of extending the lead, Bayern let the guests back into the game through carelessness and lack of focus on both sides of the ball (62-59/30.). After 30 minutes the Munich team was ahead 66-59 with a small burst at the end of the third.

Sisko contributed significantly to Munich's solid start into the final quarter, 71-61 and finished the game with eight assists. However, lack of concentration again allowed the guests closer (73.67/35). Trinchieri was clearly unhappy with his team's performance and . Three not exactly unimportainability to finisht the game. Finally, three threes from Weiler-Babb in a row gave the FCBB important breathing room on their way through the crunch time (82-73/38.). Despite a soft defense, Bayern decided the game with a convincing offense as Weiler-Babb hit his fourth three in the last quarter.

TO THE SCHEDULE

Photo Credit: Eirich, Stickel, Rauchensteiner