Djedovic pushes league leader Bayern to late 77-71 win over Heidelberg

Third win in five days: The Bayern basketball team won the early home duel with recently promoted Heidelberg. Andrea Trinchieri's team remains on top of the BBL with an 8-2 record after a 77-71 late win forced in the last quarter . They now look forward to the EuroLeague game against defending champion Efes Istanbul on Thursday (19:45). Sunday is BBL top game in Berlin (18:00., both MagentaSport live). Top scorer on Monday was captain Djedovic with 14 points.

The FCBB, isolated from its fans for the first time again in the dispensable "ghost" atmosphere of the Audi Dome, needed a boost their fans couldn't give. Twelve turnovers before the break documented a concentration that needed to be increased. The guests played fast when possible and led 58-52 (30th). The change came late in the final ten minutes thanks to more aggressive defense, clear rebounding superiority (36-22) and Djedovic's initiative for an 18-0 run.

The FCBB were missing Hilliard, Radosevic, Zipser, center Rubit and Walden.

Points per quarter Bayern - Heidelberg: 20-16, 13-17, 19-25, 25-13.

Stats: Two-point shooting: 58% (FCBB) // 50% (Heidelberg); Three-point shooting: 35% // 41%; Free-throw shooting: 67% // 83%; Rebounds: 36 // 22; Assists: 14 // 9; Turnovers: 21  // 17.

Quotes:       

Andrea Trinchieri: "First of all congratulations to Heidelberg, they are a very good team and well coached. They played a very physical and tough defense; it reminded me of my days in the Adriatic League, where there are millions of contacts. It tough for us, but we managed to condense our performance in the fourth quarter. That's how we were able to win. There is not much more to say, it was our third game in six days, the team is mentally drained. We had a good first quarter, then a terrible second and third. Then we exploded again at 25-13 in the last quarter. (...) Bravo, let's move on. (...) You build successful seasons with games like that. I can't criticize my players. Sometimes you try everything in this rhythm, but you don't find the energy. (...) We had a bad game for three quarters. In the EuroLeague we had an average of less than eleven turnovers, today it was 21. That shows that we didn't have enough concentration. (...) You can lose a lot in games like that, but if you do your job, they're a brick in the wall of a successful season."   

Nihad Djedovic: "That was a hard piece of work today and a gripping game. Heidelberg came to win, we saw that. But the last quarter was decisive for us, there we put everything on the floor and won in the end. I saw that I was going to start in the last quarter and there I gave everything. Coach told us that we have an off day tomorrow if we win - and that's when you have to put it on the floor."

Branislav Ignjatovic, Coach Heidelberg: "It's perhaps arrogant to say that I think we had a chance to win here today. Certainly Bayern has a tough week ahead with the game against the EuroLeague champions and on Sunday in Berlin. But when I see that Lucic was on the court for 25 minutes, that's the best proof for me that we delivered a very good game."

Game recap:

Zan Mark Sisko, Ognjen Jaramaz, Nihad Djedovic, Deshaun Thomas and Gavin Schilling started in Monday's BBL game. A cheeky pass from Jaramaz through the legs of his opponent to Schilling led to the first basket of the evening after just twelve seconds. The league leader took it rather leisurely. Perhaps it wasn't just the Heidelberg defense that was a nuisance, the rather the spooky atmosphere in the yawningly empty Audi Dome that took some getting used to. The cheeky guests were in the lead but Othello Hunter was present at the offensive boards and converted the rebound to equalize the score at 7-7 (6th minute of play). Heidelberg fought impressively for their chance and led several times, but a Lucic three-pointer to close the first quarter secured the 20-16 lead for the Munich team, which had lost six turnovers by then.

Nothing countable happened for a tough two minutes, but then Bayern grabbed three offensive rebounds in one attack and Jason George finished for 22:16 (13.). The table twelfth did not let itself be shaken off and came back in via a 7:2 run, timeout Trinchieri (24:2314.). The Munich team had no rhythm, but many fouls - it didn't work (26:25/16). At least the FCBB took no prisoners in the defensive rebounding and fished all the rebounds. The performance on the floor was not worth seeing, after 20 minutes the Munich team led in ball losses 12:7, in terms of points scored the score was even thanks to the dominance in rebounding - 33:33.

FCBB dominance in rebounds - unfortunately also in turnovers

Augustine Rubit, who was taking a break, called for more focus and more energy in the halftime interview. The FCBB took this to heart and Thomas immediately hit a three-pointer (39-36/21st). But soon the Munich team lost the thread again, and this time completely. Heidelberg was happy to take the lead (43-42/25). Munich struggled with concentration and energy. When even Vladimir Lucic misses two free throws, it speaks volumes. 58-52 after 30 minutes.

Bayern as if transformed with the decisive 18-0 run

Bayern seemed to have finally realized the gravity of the situation: Djedovic led the way both defensively and offensively and Obst added a three-pointer - 58-57, with less than a minute played in the final quarter. The guests' timeout did not stop the FCBB and the defense was now merciless. This was also the end of the turnovers, and Bayern's game was running like clockwork. The FCBB flipped the switch and didn't give the guests a chance with a brilliant 18-0 run (70-58/36th). Heidelberg caught itself again and countered with a 7-0 run and suddenly the Munich team lost the ball again. But it was no longer exciting, Thomas hit a jumper and then a free throw to take a 73-67 lead (63 seconds left). Heidelberg sank only one free throw from two and Lucic also one (74-68/ 27 seconds left). Bayern wanted this victory and fought for it in the final spurt earning a tough victory.

(c): Eirich, Stickel