Bayern loses late to Macabi

The Cup winners had the upset in Tel Aviv within their grasp but the tenth win of the season was not yet to be.The Bayern basketball team lost four days after the Cup championship in Oldenburg at Tel Aviv 90-82 despite a solid performance for most of the game. Their top scorers were Walden (19 points), Obst (12) and Giffey (11).

In addition to Rubit and Harris, captain Lucic was also absent (thigh). Nevertheless, Trichieri's men had the raucous crowd of 10,000 under control at first as They held Macabi's offense in check and attacked the boards on both sides leading to a 37-28 lead (17th). 

Munich's turnovers and subsequent Macabi threes from Baldwin/Brown (15/27 points) brought the home team right back in the game and even into the lead at 68-67. The FCBB was close up until the last five minutes of the game but in crunch time the threes didn't fall anymore and Maccabi won the final quarter 29-15.

Red Star and Villeurbanne up next

The FCBB returns to the Audi Dome next Thursday (March 2, 19:00./sold out) against Red Star and the following Tuesday (March 7, 21:00) against French champions Lyon-Villeurbanne.

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Score per quarter: 18-18, 26-21, 23-22, 15-29.

Stats: Two-point shooting: 41 % (FCBB) // 57 % (Tel Aviv); Three-point shooting: 35 % // 33 %; Free-throw shooting: 70 % // 84 %; Rebounds: 45 // 33; Assists: 16 // 18; Turnovers: 12 // 8

Quotes:

Andrea Trinchieri:: "Congratulations to Maccabi. We played great for 32 minutes, then the last quarter it went 29-15 and it cost us the game. We moved the ball strongly for three quarters, played as a team. But we didn't stop Lorenzo Brown in the last quarter, Colson also had big plays. (...) But without two key players like Rubit and Lucic, we put on a good performance and I'm just mad because we deserved better.

The six free throws that were whistled right in front of my bench totally changed the momentum, they were gifts and it didn't look like a foul to me twice. In that moment it was a big push for Maccabi. But my team fought until the end, we had 19 offensive rebounds despite missing three players at the four position. That's why the game gives a lot of good things, except for the result. Maccabi has won so many games at home and given that, my team played very well. (...)

We have forced big teams into the fifth playoff game for the Final Four in the last two years. Of the 18 teams, at least 17 want to make the playoffs. If we're not going to make the playoffs one year because other teams are better, because Lucic missed 33 games, Obst missed 20 games, Hunter missed 20 because Rubit's season is over and Harris might miss 20, 25 games, then I'm even more proud of how my team is performing here; with a lot of players like Winston, Gillespie, Bonga or Wimberg who are EuroLeague rookies. Very few teams sign rookies, because in the EuroLeague the mental and physical pressure is so great in every game. I would love to have another shot at the playoffs, but it's all part of our season. The way we played here today gives me even more confidence for my job. I won't be unhappy with my team without the playoffs; I will only be if they don't play hard. But they played hard here."

Othello Hunter: "They hit difficult shots. We didn't respond to that like we should have. We didn't pull it together at the end and we didn't play as hard as we're supposed to and that's what it ended up being. We knew that if they were going to get their shots and hit them, then the crowd would be there again. We panicked a little bit after that."

Game recap:

In his 200th EuroLeague game, Andrea Trinchieri had Cassius Winston, Nick Weiler-Babb, Isaac Bonga, Niklas Wimberg and Freddie Gillespie play as starters against the sixth-placed team in the European top division. Winston scored the first basket of the evening after 100 seconds, and Munich played well-balanced in the first minutes of the game (6-6/4th). Gillespie was a power both on defense and under the basket and helped Bayern stay tied up after five minutes,10-10 (5th). Zipser came off the bench and immediately drilled his first three. After a decent first quarter and Obst's buzzer beater, the score was tied 18-18.

Bayern brings down 19 Offensivrebounds

Giffey and Seeley answered a three-point play by Lorenzo Brown each with a three-pointer and forced a time-out from Maccabi and a noticeable silence in the packed arena (24-21/12th). Bayern was calm and smart as  Hunter extended the run to 9-0 with a three-point play (27-21/12th). Ex-Bayern star, Wade Baldwin brought Tel Aviv back to within one, but the Munich defense forced turnovers and held the lead. Winston was completely uncovered at the three-point line twice in a row and he sank the second attempt to make it 32-28 (15th). Munich was now in excellent rhythm and grabbed offensive rebound after offensive rebound  and the numerous second chances helped Bayern to go on an 8-0 run and to take a clear lead (37-28/16th). The guests let up a little on the gas and immediately Tel Aviv was within four points, time-out Trinchieri (39-35/18th). The FCBB saved itself with a a small run at the end of the quarter and took a 44-39 lead into the half-time break.

Walden hits free throw after free throw

The FCBB came out of the locker room with a lot of momentum and a new focus - the reward was another 6-0 run and a double-digit lead (50-39/22nd). Baldwin seized the initiative and forced his ex-coach Trinchieri to call timeout with two threes in a row (53-48/24th). The crowd was back in the game and Munich already had four team foul. A three-pointer from very deep from Obst took the lead back to eight for Bayern (56-48/25th). Apart from that bucket the scoring dropped off the planet and Maccabi worked its way up. When shots from beyond the arc aren't dropping the energetic drive to the basket is a tried and tested means of success and Weiler-Babb managed a three-point play to make it 62-57 (28th). Walden was repeatedly fouled and brought to the line, and he sank all his free throws (66-59/29th). After 30 minutes, the Munich team was on course for a win, 67-61.

Lorenzo Brown dominates the final quarter

Munich lost the rhythm and a rapid 7-0 run by the hosts turned the tide within 95 seconds (68-67/32nd). The veterans Giffey and Hunter scored to again tie it at 71-71 (33rd). With the frenetic crowd behind them, Tel Aviv gained confidence, and again an Obst three-pointer came just in time (74-74/34th). But Lorenzo Brown was also hot from distance and Maccabi pulled away a bit (81-75/36th). Munich fought hard but the shots did not fall. Tel Aviv stayed in front and Trinchieri resorted to timeouts again. Walden shortened the gap to 83-79 with a strong drive, but now Maccabi always had an answer ready. Walden scored again to make it 85-82 (38th) but missed his next shot. Baldwin, on the other hand, did not miss and his basket made it 87-82 and clinched the victory for Macabi Tel Aviv.

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