What a fight: The Bayern basketball team is on the verge of making it to the BBL finals. Head coach Andrea Trinchieri's team won its second tough away game at Bonn, the second seed and can get the necessary third win at the Audi Dome on Saturday. In the din of the Telekom Dome, which was once again packed with 6,000 fans, the Munich team won by a razor-thin 82-81 and now lead the series 2-0.
In a heated thriller, the Munich team once again shut down league MVP Jackson-Cartwright (11 points), grabbed 40 rebounds and also defended Bonn's last shot brilliantly. Defensive leader Nick Weiler-Babb (18 points) and national player Andreas Obst (17) stood out as scorers.
Saturday night (20:30), the series shifts to the Audi Dome. A possible fourth game would also take place there, two days later, on Monday (6.6.).
Obst hits the three
Bayern played with an identical squad, i.e. without playmakers Sisko, Walden (both back) and Hilliard (out for the season). And they started error-ridden as in the first game (10-4/4th), also receiving early foul whistles. Both teams fought but when the guests finally hit some threes in the eighth and ninth attempt by Obst, they finally went ahead (38:-35/16th). Obst did everything, handling the ball for minutes due to foul trouble with the guards.
They jumped to 52-44 after the break but fell behind in the quarter with only 15 points (62-58/28th). In a relentless fight, Weiler-Babb took over and Obst's three free throws brought a lead to 77-72 (38th). Bonn came back, however, but the Telekom Baskets could not answer a free throw by Hunter three seconds before the end for a 82-81 win.
Telekom Baskets Bonn - FC Bayern Basketball 81:82 (44:49)
FCBB:
Nick Weiler-Babb (18 Points/9 Rebounds), Andreas Obst (17/4 Dreier), Deshaun Thomas (16), Ognjen Jaramaz (7), Othello Hunter (7), Nihad Djedovic (5), Augustine Rubit (4), Vladimir Lucic (4/9 Rebounds), Leon Radosevic (2), Jason George (2), Paul Zipser und Joshua Obiesie
Top scorer Bonn:
Jeremy Morgan (17 Points)
Referee
Anne Panther, Clemens Fritz, Nesa Kovacevic
Attendance
6,000
Points per quarter Bayern - Bonn: 21-25, 28-19, 15-20, 18-17
Stats: Two-point shooting: 55% (FCBB) // 46% (Bonn); Three-point shooting: 22% // 35%; Free-throw shooting: 81% // 82%; Rebounds: 40 // 34; Assists: 13 // 13; Turnovers: 11 // 12
Quotes:
Andrea Trinchieri: "First of all, I want to congratulate my players for a dirty win. We didn't play outstanding, but the most important thing is that we got two away wins. Then I want to congratulate Bonn for a great game. They played super hard. It was a great game in an impressive atmosphere. Now it's 2-0 and we go home, have a few days to regenerate and prepare. It won't be easy, because this is a good team. Mentally we were flat today, because of that we allowed too much. Maybe it's because we're playing without guards, which means everyone has to play a different position. Bonn plays very intensively, which drains our energy mentally and physically. We have to become more mentally stable if we want to win something. (...)
We didn't shine, our performance wasn't good, but we did the things that were required to win a very difficult away game. In the last defense the team was very focused, we controlled the last throw-in very well. We had a complicated game because we didn't hit open threes. We scored 82 points on 22 percent threes, but we were able to get the win in a different way, with rebounds. Now we have to regenerate well and be ready for another fight."
Andreas Obst: "It's obviously an adjustment without guards while Zan Mark Sisko is still not fully fit. But I accept the challenge and step in. Of course it's an adjustment for me, because you have to think a little bit differently in the game. But the team is doing a good job of catching me, helping me - and the coach is also giving me tips. I try to give the team what it needs. We've gone through ups and downs throughout the season, we've had to deal with absences, and we've had to constantly regroup and get together. Of course, that speaks to the character of the team, and that's what we're going to do now until the end of the season and pull it off. We have a clear goal and we have to stand together as a team, no matter what problems stand in our way."
Game recap:
FCBB coach Andrea Trinchieri started the second away game in Bonn unchanged with Nick Weiler-Babb, Nihad Djedovic, Vladimir Lucic, Augustine Rubit and Leon Radosevic. Rubit got his second foul after less than 90 seconds - off to the bench! The referees had probably agreed on calling a tight game and many fouls resulted in a rather disjointed opening. The Bavarians lost the ball a few times, as in the first game, but stayed in it - 5-4 (2nd). The Munich team looked for their advantages on offense, and this was mainly the mismatch against the physically inferior Parker Jackson-Cartwright. Djedovic effortlessly scored to make it 10-8 (5th). Hunter's unchallenged dunk to equalize at 13-13 prompted Bonn coach Tuomas Isalo to call a timeout. Less than two minutes later, Trinchieri recognized the need for a talk as his men trailed 20-15 (8th). The interruption took the momentum away from the hosts, but they were still ahead by four points after the first quarter - 25-21.
The Baskets continued to play the speed card and repeatedly took the Munich defense by surprise. In this way they maintained their lead (31-25/13th), but Jackson-Cartwright was given his third foul. Bonn felt the breath of the guests on their necks and the change of the lead was in the air. Rubit fulfilled the feeling via a basket to get to within three 33-30 (14th). After six minutes of the quarter it was time, Obst sank a three-pointer for the first FCBB lead (38-35/16th). The Munich team turned the tables and stayed just ahead for their part (42-39/18th). Obst's third three-pointer of the quarter pleased the Munich crowd amd George free throws meant the highest lead so far (47-41/20th). At halftime, the Munich team was on the right course, leading 49-44.
Bonn's sixth man, the crowd, played a factor
Munich came out of the dressing room focused and on fire as can be seen from two offensive rebounds in a row, which led to Jackson-Cartwright's fourth foul and Weiler-Babb's three-pointer (52-44/21st). The frenetic crowd joined in and spurred the Baskets on, and Rubit stopped a 6-0 run with a close-range goal (56-52/25th). The Rhinelanders fought their way back and Tadda provided the lead change with a three-pointer (57-56/27th). Weiler-Babb played great once again and regained the lead with five points in a row (63-62/29th). The game was tight and exciting and after the third quarter it was all tied up 64-64.
Weiler-Babb wonderful at both ends
Munich created good chances after Jaramaz's three-pointer for a 67-64 lead but they missed their target and could not pull away. Obst corrected that with his next three-pointer (70-69/33rd). The FCBB defense tightened up, but unfortunately could no longer score. They remained without a goal for more than three minutes, but again Weiler-Babb was on the spot and equalized at 72-72 (36th). Weiler-Babb and Obst proved to be impressively strong nerves from the line: five free throws in a row to take a five-point lead 77-72 (38th). The Baskets cut it to 77-74, but then they fouled Weiler-Babb of all people, who hits both to make it 79-74. In the remaining seconds, things took off, as Tadda equalized for Bonn at 79-79 (60 seconds left). Hunter finished for a 81-79 lead but Bonn scores again in return (81-81/ 20 seconds left). After a Trinchieri timeout, Hunter moved energetically to the basket and was fouled, at least hitting one free throw for an 82-81 lead with three seconds on the clock. Hawkins' last shot was well defended and missed clearly - 2-0 lead for FCBB in the semifinal series.