FCBB loses home game 81-76 without fans

In the last home game of a long 2021, the Bayern basketball team suffered a defeat without the support of their fans: Against the four-time Spanish champion Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, the Munich team lost 81-76. The second half of the EuroLeague season thus begins for them on December 30 in Villeurbanne with a 7:10 record.

For the guests, Baldwin greeted his old comrades with 16 points after eleven minutes (30-15) and not only Bayern's three-pointer weren't falling. Rivers (16) was the first to find offensive rhythm and the energy level was now in the target range. However, the unsuccessful start into the third quarter (60-46/26) could no longer be erased and Baskonia's physicality was not to be matched by the FCBB this evening. The Spaniards, who were strong shot much better and the hapless FCBB only managed nine assists. At 65-48 (28th), the distance was simply too great despite a fighting finish.

The FCBB continue to stay busy: On December 26th, the BBL leader hosts Crailsheim, and the second leg of the EuroLeague begins on December 30 in Lyon at Villeurbanne.

Points per quarter Bayern - Baskonia: 13-25, 29-21, 1321, 21-14.

Stats: Two-point shooting: 50% (FCBB) // 48% (Baskonia); Three-point shooting: 25% // 37%; Free-throw shooting: 86% // 73%; Rebounds: 38 // 40; Assists: 9 // 15; Turnovers: 8  // 9

Quotes:

Andrea Trinchieri, Headcoach FC Bayern: "Congratulations to Baskonia. They deserved the victory. We had a very, very bad game. We didn't succeed in anything, we suffered on defense as well as on offense. We had no creativity and we didn't fight today. This is by far our worst game of the season. Hopefully we understand what happened so it won't happen again. (...) We didn't show any reaction. That was the first time my team was so lackadaisical: no reaction, no emotion, nothing. (...) We missed a very good chance today to stay up; we lost a home game without having the right concentration and energy. I think we underestimated Baskonia because they were missing a few players and thought we could do it. But then it was too late."                       

K.C. Rivers: "We were all flat, since the morning we were just flat, me too. Baskonia came here with much more energy and motivation. They played like that because they had nothing to lose. That's how the game was, they played harder. We knew from the beginning that they had a short rotation and we underestimated that. When we realized that, it was too late to fight. But that's the game, now we have to come back and start on what we did well and learn from what was bad. This is a setback, but we will prepare well and come back."

Game Recap:

Corey Walden, Nick Weiler-Babb, Vladimir Lucic, Deshaun Thomas and Augustine Rubit started against the EuroLeague's 16th-place team. The FCBB got off to a good start with a Walden triple and a Thomas hookshot (5-0/2). The visitors, weakened by injuries and led by FCBB's top scorer of last season, Wade Baldwin, stayed on the heels of the Munich team (13-12/6). Baldwin ran hot at his former place of work and scored basket after basket and Coach Trinchieri asked for a timeout (20-13 Baskonia/7). The Munich team did not take any good shots and struggled for rhythm. The Bavarians went almost five minutes without scoring, while Baskonia managed a 13-0 run. 25-13 after the first quarter. Baldwin alone had more points with 16 than all Munich players together.

K.C. Rivers ended the six-minute scoring drought, and how! His twelve points in a row cut the score to 32-25 and prompted the Spaniards to call a timeout. Lucic beat Baldwin with a jump shot (32-27/15), but Trinchieri was not satisfied with his team's defensive effort. For his taste, the guests scored far too easily (38-27/16). Othello Hunter provided energy in offensive rebounding and was successful with a three-point play (38-30/17). Jaramaz and Thomas scored and helped their team to a shrinking deficit (40-35/17). Munich now made better decisions, promptly tipping the momentum. The Spaniards annoyed the FCBB with threes, but the Trinchieri squad fought and was within four at 46-42 after the first half.

No rhythm for Bayern

Baldwin's next three-pointer was not a good omen, because everyone knew what would happen if he got going (49-42/22). Munich had lost the thread again and Trinchieri's timeout provided explanations (51-42/23). Lucic stepped in offensively, but his team was far too harmless defensively. The deficit grew into double digits (60-46/27). Munich's coordination was non-existent - six points in eight minutes won't win you many games (65-48/29). Suddenly, FCBB flipped the switch and got close via a small run, but Baldwin knocked in a shot at the buzzer to close the quarter, and the deficit remained in double digits - 67-55.

Munich desperately struggled to find solutions, but the shot selection did not improve. Trinchieri reacted with an early timeout and made hints for solutions (70-56/32). Baskonia played more cleverly and simply better with the confidence of the clear lead (73-56/33). Munich's attacks took too long, and the ball did not move. Threes were now in demand, but not even the specialist could break the spell of the lousy scoring rate (73-60/37). Bayern ran out of time. A three-pointer by Jaramaz formed a spark of hope, ten points back and still 2:43 on the clock (75-65). Baskonia now took his time and hit his free throws but the deficit held (77-67/ 2:13 left). The FCBB made another attempt with a three-pointer but it was not enough. Smaller mistakes made the turnaround more difficult and Baldwin did the rest.

SCHEDULE

(c) Eirich & Pahnke