The next Corona episode and only 40 hours distance to the EuroLeague fight with Olympiakos did not stop the Bayern basketball players on Sunday: In front of 2,000 fans in the Audi Dome, the league leader defeated Bamberg in the southern rivalry game 83-62. Their BBL points record is now 36:10.

The FCBB were missing Weiler-Babb, Djedovic, George and Obiesie, Hunter and Walden sat out as well; the sick coach Andrea Trinchieri was represented by Demond Greene. Fourth game in seven days will be Tuesday at 20:30 against second-place Bonn (32-14).

Both teams initially looked for rhythm and security. Zipser's celebrated first basket in nine months at 16-15 (9th) provided energy but Brose initially countered with threes and took a lead(28-22/14th). After the third quarter (24-13), the FCBB led by double digits and in the second half they allowed only 27 points. Top scorer was Thomas (20) and Zipser scored seven.

An overwhelming success before the game was the collection of donations in kind for those affected by the war in Ukraine - FCBB fans filled two large containers with urgently needed relief supplies with their donations. 

Points per quarter Bayern - Bonn: 20-16, 14-19, 24-13, 25-14.

Stats: Two-point shooting: 43% (FCBB) // 42% (Bamberg); Three-point shooting: 45% // 33%; Free-throw shooting: 71% // 60%; Rebounds: 33 // 38; Assists: 17 // 14; Rebounds: 7  // 13.

Quotes:         

Demond Greene, Coach FC Bayern Basketball: "Winning is always a good thing, especially when you have to step in and take over for the coach. After the Chemnitz game, it was much better today and I just hope now that our coach gets healthy as quickly as possible so that we can soon be back together on the sidelines. (...) Our defense turned the game around. We wanted to break Bamberg's rhythm in the first half by switching, but that didn't work very well. Robinson was running hot and we had problems rebounding. Then we changed things around and that worked better. Despite the long break due to the national team break, we took the rhythm well. Against Hamburg we had to shake off the rust and played well in the second half. Against Olympiakos, we played very well for 40 minutes against a top team. We took this rhythm with us, even if the first half was again not particularly confident. (...). Of course, we had planned to let Paul play more, but you can't really plan that before the game. He only gets rhythm through minutes, and the cushion in the second half helped us, of course, so that Paul could find his rhythm in peace. I'm sure Andrea Trinchieri was watching. But the most important thing is that he gets healthy."     

Deshaun Thomas: "The team put me in the right position today, my teammates gave me the ball. In the second half I came out with a lot of energy, my teammates supported me very well. The coach is there to distribute the minutes well and save energy. We have a long way to go, a lot of games. I'm one of the players who can be rested in BBL games. Then I come in rested and do my job. For Demond Greene, that went well, to get that opportunity. It was very well coached, and I hope Andrea gets better quickly. It's like players: if there's a breakdown, the next guy steps in, and that was Greene. I'm happy for him and for this win."

Bamberg head coach: "Congratulations to Coach Greene and Bayern for this fantastic second half of the game, as well as a quick and good recovery to Coach Trinchieri. The game is quickly told: In the first half we played better than expected. After the break Bayern increased the intensity. Then it became very difficult for us to keep up."

Game recap:

FCBB coach Greene started with Ognjen Jaramaz, Andreas Obst, Vladimir Lucic, Deshaun Thomas and Augustine Rubit. Less than 15 seconds had passed before the first Obst three-pointer hit the Bamberg basket. Both teams defended at a remarkable level, as befits a rivalry. The Munich team kept the lead for the first few minutes and Darrun Hilliard increased the lead to 14-10 (6th minute) with a three-pointer. FCBB coach Greene distributed the playing time evenly among the shoulders that were badly challenged in the two-day rhythm. In minute eight, Paul Zipser came onto the court to the cheers of the fans. A few seconds later, the crowd rose with joy as Zipser grabbed a rebound and immediately sank his first jumper (16-15/9th). After the first quarter, Bayern was 20-16 in front.

FCBB's offense faltered and Bamberg's 7-0 run prompted Greene to call timeout (23-20/13th). The direct result of the meeting was a Rubit dunk. But Bamberg's whirlwind Justin Robinson turned up the heat and put eight consecutive points in the Bayern basket - Thomas countered with a three-pointer to make it 28-25 (15th). The power forward now put his stamp on the FCBB offense with seven points in a row. Radosevic took up the suggestion and followed it up with a three-pointer (33-32/18th). The Munich team stayed close - 35-34 after the second quarter.

Hitting three-pointers compensates for weakness in rebounding

Coming out of the locker room, the Munich team grabbed the lead, but the rested Bamberg team was more attentive especially in rebounding and created second chances as in the first half. Hilliard managed a four-point play worth seeing to make it 42-38 (24th). There was strong defense on the floor, but Bayern maintained the lead. Always a joy for the fans: Zipser came back into the game. Thomas threw all his class into the balance and was successful via three-point play (53-46/28th). Another three-pointer by Obst silenced the Franconians' fan corner and the lead grew and was in double figures for the first time after two free throws by Rubit - 58-48 after the third quarter.

Zipser comeback thrills fans

Deshaun Thomas had a great evening, but the emotional moment of the game had definitely come when Paul Zipser took a three-pointer from the corner and steered the shot into the basket in a dreamlike manner (64-50/32nd). The momentum was clearly on the side of Munich, who pulled away. But Coach Greene remained cautious and took a time-out in view of a Sengfelder three-pointer (69-55/34th). A Radosevic three-pointer out of the timeout and further points by Paul Zipser amounted to a preliminary decision. The will of the Bambergers was broken, they accepted the defeat. Chants of "Paule Zipser" accompanied the celebrated player to the bench as the fans celebrated him and the sovereign victory.

SCHEDULE

(c) Eirich

(C) Stickel, Eirich