The Bayern Basketball team started the new year with an away win: The team of head coach Andre Trinchieri won safely 95-86. Top scorers were Augustine Rubit (22), Vladimir Lucic (20) and Andreas Obst (15). The FCBB hardly lost the ball (6), hit eleven three-pointers, all 28 (!) free throws and played with a great rotation.

The Munich team (22-6) is thus tied with first-place Bonn (24-6), which lost in Crailsheim. Returnee Leon Radosevic was back in the starting five for the first time in half a year. Youngster Martín Kalu from the ProB team made his squad debut and is now the youngest FCBB debutant at 16 years and 339 days.

Both teams opened 2022 with fluid offense, 30-24 and the first quarter went to the Bayern as the guests. At 41-32 (16th), they pulled away a bit, but the defense still opened gaps. Brose also scored from distance (59-59/27th), the FCBB guards got into foul trouble - and the team trailed 78-77 (35th). In the final minutes, Lucic led his team to a deserved victory.

 

Points per quarter Bayern - Bamberg: 30-24, 19-18, 22-25, 24-19.

Stats: Two-point shooting: 61% (FCBB) // 52% (Bamberg); Three-point shooting: 37% // 42%; Free-throw shooting: 100% // 81%; Rebounds: 29 // 34; Assists: 18 // 23;Turnovers: 6  // 13.

Quotes:         

FC Bayern Basketball head coach, Andrea Trinchieri: "First of all, I would like to wish everyone good luck for the New Year, because with luck you stay healthy. I think it's a shame that I didn't get to say hello to the incredible fans here; I hope there will still be the chance. The game had a lot of ups and downs, Coach Amiel knows his job; it was never easy, with a lot of tactical things. In the first quarter we were very good. After that, we didn't find the right balance with the referees and made too many fouls that we should have avoided. So they had a lot of free throws, also because we didn't secure the defensive rebounds well. They also hit several threes in that phase and all 50-50 balls went to them. They were ahead by one point, but then we secured the win with some good plays. It's always good to win away from home, especially against a team with a lot of shooters and a good tactical setup like Bamberg. (...) We were a little low on energy in the last five minutes, but we found a way to win. I think all the players that were on the court today helped us to split the minutes. I mean Joshua Obiesie, for example. Also Leon is very important for us, he knows how to play for us, he had some very good plays on defense. Aug (Rubit) dominated the game, and I'm also happy for Andi. Because when a shooter hits five threes, it means the team is playing with and for him."  

Andreas Obst: "This already feels like my old living room here. We wanted to bring energy into the game today. We succeeded in phases, but then we conceded runs again due to allowed offensive rebounds and defensive inconsistencies. But in the end, the win counts. We were able to practice well and prepare. We had a little bit of time to adjust better to the opponent and look at ourselves a little bit and what we want to improve."

 

Game Recap:

FCBB head coach Andrea Trinchieri started 2022 with Nick Weiler-Babb, Andreas Obst, Vladimir Lucic, Augustine Rubit and Leon Radosevic on the floor. A snappy three-pointer from Obst and a tip-in from Lucic set up a lightning-clear first minute of play (5-0). Bamberg closed in, but the Munich team looked alert, focused and fresh. The second Obst three-pointer marked the 12-8 lead (4th minute of play). Both teams played decent offensively and the relatively even and high score was a clear proof of that (23-19/8th). After ten minutes, the FCBB led 30-24.

The 35-year-old veteran Othello Hunter mixed it up with impressive blocks and strong play on the offensive rebound (34-26/13th). FCBB youngster Martin Kalu was given early playing time, and Leon Radosevic, who had been missing for a long time, repeatedly contributed with dependable points (38-30/14th). Munich had turnovers under control and Sisko cleverly set the scene for Obst, who thanked him with his fourth three-pointer (41-32/16th). Munich's defense slopped a bit but Rubit stopped Bamberg's 6-0 run with two converted free throws (43-38/19th). A Lucic three-pointer, cleverly planned by Trinchieri during a timeout, secured FCBB's 49-42 lead at the half.

Squandering the double-digit lead

A Rubit three-pointer for Munich gave them their first double-digit lead (55-45/22nd). Suddenly, both teams seemed to hit a wall and the action on the floor now seemed hectic and rather erratic. Bamberg knew how to take advantage of Bayern's mistakes for a brisk 11-0 run (57-56/26th). Rubit threw his reliability and routine into the balance and Bayern kept the lead at the end of the third quarter - 71-67.

Incredible Lucic takes over - strong 13-4 finish in the final phase

Nervousness increased, and turnovers were the result on both sides. Sisko, who gave the Bavarians a lot of structure, sank two important threes in a row (77-71/33rd). But Trinchieri had a reason to worry as his team had already committed five team fouls with less than three minutes left on the clock. Bamberg turned up the heat and put the FCBB under a lot of pressure with a 7-0 run, and the lead was gone (78-77/35th). An energetic drive to the basket by leader Lucic was rewarded with a three-point play, but Bamberg immediately equalized (82-82/37th). Lucic was sought and found, and he did the rest with his unbending will: eight points in a row for an 87-82 lead (2:37 left on the clock). Bayern's one hundred percent scoring rate from the free-throw line was hugely impactful and Rivers didn't show any weakness either, also converting free throws 25 and 26 (89-82/38th). The FCBB convinced with a determination that could not be surpassed and gave the strong Bambergers no chance.

 

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