This dress rehearsal went about as badly as possible: Four days before the Cup semifinals, the Bayern basketball team unexpectedly lost its 21st BBL game against the Hamburg Towers 89-70. After a brutal opening quarter (35-19) and a 53-34 deficit at the break, the comeback didn't happen despite 15 points from Obst.
The 5,100 spectators in the Audi Dome really left no stone unturned in trying to energize their team, which was weakened by injuries. But the 14th-placed team sank ten three-pointers in the first half and also earned the win from the opening whistle on.
Bonga joins the injured list
In terms of personnel, the situation was similar to the 79-58 win in Chemnitz: In addition to Lucic (elbow), Harris (foot), Winston (back) and Walden, Bonga also had to sit. Hunter, however, was back in the squad.
With their backs to the wall, they came back to 57-48 (25th) in the third quarter, but made too many mistakes for a successful comeback.
FC Bayern Basketball - Hamburg Towers 70:89 (34:53)
FCBB:
Andreas Obst (15 Points), Nick Weiler-Babb (12), Niels Giffey (11, 4 Steals), Ognjen Jaramaz (11), Hunter (7, 5 Rebounds), Rubit (7, 5 Rebounds), Gillespie (3, 8 Rebounds), Seeley (2), Wimberg (2), Zipser (DNP.)
Hamburg top scorer
James Woodard (22 Points)
Referee
Clemens Fritz, Enrico Streit, Armin Mutapcic
Attendance
5,163
Quotes:
Andrea Trinchieri:"We don't deserve these fans who supported us so well despite a 25-point deficit at home. There are no words to describe this performance. We were embarrassing...even more than that, and we just don't deserve fans like that."
Niels Giffey:"We didn't get off to the kind of start in terms of energy level that you need to go into a game like this to be able to win it. We didn't manage that and we have to hold our own. That wasn't the energy we needed, nor the game spirit and speed. That's a loss that hurts, especially at home. We clearly have things we need to work on, and everyone knows that, especially after a game like that. That's what we're going to work on now in this important week. I am quite sure that we will put our heads together and talk about the fact that this cannot be a mindset of ours. Each of us, including me, has to start the game with a different mindset and get going. (...) It would be a great step for us to get to the cup final in a difficult year. But the semifinal it will be very tough game."
Hamburg coach, Benka Barloschky: "We are super happy about the win. We knew we had to shoot very, very well if we wanted to win here. We did that today, especially in the first quarter. Of course, that was a great start. I'm very happy that we got the run stopped again in the second half, that we stood up to it. We can be happy about that now on the bus on the way back."
