Bayern's semifinal series is not over just yet. 6,000 fans in the Audi Dome roared to a comeback in the third game against Telekom Baskets Bonn and into a heart-stopping final seconds. But the final action of an intensely fought thriller sealed an unfortunate 86-84 loss.
They have the second chance to reach the final the day after tomorrow, on Whit Monday (6.6., 18:00) in the Audi Dome. For this, there is the option of a 9-euro ticket; the offer is limited to 500 tickets and can be booked now.
The FCBB welcomed its recovered playmaker Sisko back to the squad but Rubit got a break. Bonn, as expected, resisted the start of their vacation took an early lead and held onto it for the first half.
75-65 in the final quarter
The three-pointers (24%) in particular did not drop as Bonn kept up the tempo and physicality and continued to hold a clear lead despite Munich equalizing twice. The FCBB had a last great burst and even equalized through top scorer Thomas (18) to make it 84-84. Bonn, however, had the last laugh.
FC Bayern Basketball - Telekom Baskets Bonn 84:86 (40:45)
FCBB:
Deshaun Thomas (18 Points), Vladimir Lucic (14, 7 Rebounds), Nihad Djedovic (14), Nick Weiler-Babb (12, 5 Rebounds, 6 Assists), Othello Hunter (8), Gavin Schilling (6), Andreas Obst (5), Zan Mark Sisko (4), Ognjen Jaramaz (3), Jason George, Leon Radosevic (5 Rebounds), Paul Zipser (n.e.)
Top scorer Bonn:
Javontae Hawkins (19 Points)
Referee
Robert Lottermoser, Carsten Straube, Zulfikar Oruzgani
Attendance
6,007
Points per quarter Bayern - Bonn: 20-24, 20-21, 23-19, 21-22
Stats: Two-point shooting: 62 % (FCBB) // 50 % (Bonn); Three-point shooting: 24 % // 38 %; Free-throw shooting: 73 % // 65 %; Rebounds: 39 // 40; Assists: 18 // 9; Turnovers: 8 // 10
Quotes:
FCBB head coach, Andrea Trinchieri: "I would like to start by congratulating Bonn. They played better and therefore deserved to win. The story of the game is extremely simple. It's about rebounds and three-point shots. If you allow 20 points after offensive rebounds, it's impossible to win the game. They hit important shots, but we were still in the game. But we played the worst game of the series. So we lost the game because we deserved it. Now we have to stay calm and regroup now and be ready for Monday. (...)
The last play didn't go well, but that's on me, not on the players. I could have taken a timeout before, which I don't normally do. Surely we could have done better, but we didn't and if the execution is bad, the coach is responsible first. (...)
Rubit is an option (for Monday). We will watch the video of the game and then decide which squad to bring. We will adjust what is necessary."
Nick Weiler-Babb: "We lacked a little bit of energy today. They played harder than us, won more 50-50 balls and grabbed more offensive rebounds. We have to collect ourselves now, analyze the mistakes, refocus and come back with more energy on Monday."
Tuomas Iisalo, Coach Bonn: "We were in a difficult situation after the two home losses. But we have a team with a great mentality. This was a great success for us. The difference today was in the rebounds. There our work was much better than in Bonn. Bayern is a strong team and very well coached. They are EuroLeague top level and always come back. It's fun to coach the series against European coaching legends. It's like in a chess game. We're playing against one of the best defenses in Europe, which has given even Barcelona problems. We were a bit luckier today to be ahead at the end. It was only two points more, but that's better than one too few. (...) But I think that on Monday, after the emotional high, the hardest game for us is yet to come. We can certainly expect a very strong performance from Bayern and we have to be ready for it."
Game recap:
The front five for the semifinal home game consisted of Nick Weiler-Babb, Nihad Djedovic, Vladimir Lucic, Deshaun Thomas and Leon Radosevic. As in the first two games the most attention was paid to defensive Parker Jackson-Cartwright. Djedovic took care of Bonn's top scorer and directly forced three misses (6-2 FCBB lead/ 4th Minute). However, some inconsistencies crept in on their own boards, which the guests used for two free threes - time-out Trinchieri (15-12/7th). Othello Hunter then brought the hall into the game with a casual dunk and scored the final points in a largely balanced first quarter (24-20).
At the start of the second quarter, a private duel developed between Weiler-Babb and Jackson-Cartwright, in which the Munich guard flashed his all-round skills. After an offensive rebound, a steal, a strong move to the basket and an excellent assist, coach Tuomas Isalo took a timeout (28-26/13tg). The Baskets could rely on their three-point shooting and especially Jeremy Morgan was extremely accurate and initiated a 10-0 run of his team (41-28/16th). The home side tried with difficulty to bring calm back into the game and tried putting Gavin Schilling in the limelight under the basket. But with nine second chances and a loose wrist from downtown, the first half went to the Bonners (45-40).
Late threes from Babb und Thomas
In the second half, Djedovic made sure that the weak three-point rate from the first half (14 percent) was somewhat raised. Meanwhile, the Baskets continued to push the tempo and pushed the ball to MVP Jackson-Cartwright. However, both teams now struggled to find good shots. A low-scoring quarter loomed (5-49/26th). Hunter and Lucic played out their routine under the basket in this phase and did not shy away from the free-throw line to keep the hosts in the game. A wild four-point play by Javontae Hawkins briefly upset the defensive order and after a Weiler-Babb fastbreak at the buzzer the third quarter went narrowly to Bayern (64-63).
A good two minutes watched Trinchieri in the final section before he called his men to him. The reason was Jackson Cartwright who had become an assist machine (73-65/32nd). The Munich team, on the other hand, had lost its rhythm. Only four points were scored within five minutes. Two three-pointers by fighter Weiler-Babb, who stayed on the floor despite a pain-distorted face and dived for every ball kept Bayern in the game (77-75/37th). Bayern kept the pressure on and Djedovic finished a great pass to Thomas, who made a three-point play one minute before the end to equalize at 81-81.
After bad three-pointers on both sides, Hawkins stood at the line and put Bonn in front with 20 seconds on the clock - 85-84. Munich's last attack went through Weiler-Babb, but he was stopped by Karsten Tadda. Only one second of remaining time was then too little to turn the game again (86-84).
THE PLAYOFF SEMI-FINAL (Score: 2:1):
Game 4, Monday, June 6, 18:00.: FCBB - Bonn
Game 5*, Wednesday, June 8, 20:30.: Bonn - FCBB
*= if necessary
(c) Stickel & Eirich