After 40 terrific minutes, only a little luck was missing in the final seconds: A firey Bayern basketball team sold played brilliantly against Italian top team Milan in front of 5,500 fans but suffered its fourth EuroLeague defeat late with an 83-81 loss. Head coach Andrea Trinchieri was missing a complete five this time with Bonga, George, Harris, Sisko and the top scorer from the Barcelona game, Augustine Rubit (back) all injured.
All the more remarkable was the incredible start to take a 40-26 lead (15th) - shortly after Hunter had also injured his thigh. After the break it was 51-42 (23rd) but the big favorite profited three seconds before the siren by two missed free throws from the FCBB.
Top scorer was Winston (20 points) while Zipser (13), Obst (12) and Jaramaz (10) also contributed.
Again, it is now less than 48 hours until the next assignment, the BBL game on Saturday (20:30/MagentaSport) in Hamburg. Next home game is on Sunday, October 30, at 15:00 against Crailsheim.
FC Bayern Basketball - Armani Olimpia Mailand 81-83 (43-37)
FCBB:
Cassius Winston (20 Points/5 Rebounds), Paul Zipser (13 Punkte/3 Threes), Andreas Obst (12 Punkte), Ognjen Jaramaz (10/5 Assists), Vladimir Lucic (9 Punkte), Nick Weiler-Babb (5/5 Rebounds), Othello Hunter (4 Points), Corey Walden (3), Niklas Wimberg (3), Freddie Gillespie (2/8 Rebounds)
Top scorer Mailand:
Nicolo Melli (17 Points)
Referee
Miguel Angel Perez, Fernando Rocha, Luka Kardum
Attendance
5,483
Points per quarter Bayern - Milan: 22-16, 21-21, 23-26, 15-20
Stats: Two-point shooting: 44 % (FCBB) // 57 % (Mailand); Three-point shooting: 46 % // 40 %; Free-throw shooting: 75 % // 78 %; Rebounds: 33 // 32; Assists: 13 // 15; Turnovers: 9 // 8
Quotes:
FCBB head coach, Andrea Trinchieri: "My players were really great considering the circumstances with so many injuries and then the injury to Othello in the second quarter. We had two free throws to win and I think we played a great game. We can analyze a lot of small mistakes, but we put everything out there and I feel sorry for my players only now. The rest is not so important, but we should have been rewarded with another result. The injuries are already hard, they bring a lot of problems for the team. But again, everyone played so hard and went over their limit. (...) The last call against Lucic hurt, I'm not sure about that. But we stayed in the game because we were able to balance the fight for rebounds. We moved the ball better. My players tried everything, they should have been rewarded differently."
Niklas Wimberg: "The last shot from Paul looked extremely good - that would have done us a lot of good. I think it was definitely a step forward today. We showed great energy and that's definitely something to build on. I was very happy to be able to help given the absences and injuries. (...) After the game, you have to wipe your mouth quickly and recover quickly."
Paul Zipser: "After the last shot, my heart stopped for a second. That wasn't a millisecond, that was dangerous. For me, that was extremely important today, to prove myself again in between. (...) That's why it's good, especially today, when we play such a short rotation, to be there when you have to be. (...) Of course it's bitter to lose like that because we had it in our hands in the end. But it's very good for us to pick up the defensive-offensive rhythm, because in some phases of the games before we didn't have the very clear plan of attacking. It was much better today, from the whole team; everyone brought their strengths. I'm proud of the team, even though it was bitter today. It was still good."
Game recap:
Against his hometown club, FCBB head coach Andrea Trinchieri called for "more flow" in a pregame interview and started Nick Weiler-Babb, Corey Walden, Vladimir Lucic, Paul Zipser and Freddie Gillespie. Bayern started aggressively and captain Lucic earned the first lead with a three-point play (5-4/2nd minute of the game). The FCBB played on par with the Top Four candidate and a wonderfulk three-pointer by Zipser marked a 11-10 lead (5th). Munich put aside its respect and forced the guests to turn the ball over and the flow demanded by Trinchieri began to set in. With a 9-2 run during the last three minutes of the quarter, they pulled away to 22-16.
Bayern loses Hunter early
Andi Obst made it fun for the fans by dancing around his national teammate Jo Voigtmann and scoring on a three-point play to take a double-digit lead (27-16/11th). Milan turned up the heat, but the FCBB countered energetically and looked for the quick finish. Hunter scored to make it 32-21, but then provided a scary moment when he picked up an injury without contact. Zipser sank his second three-pointer and Obst followed with a three-pointer of his own forcing Milan coach Ettore Messina to call a timeout (40-26/15th). Immediately, the rhythm of the Munich team was lost and for minutes no basket was scored. A stout defense and Jaramaz's three-pointer slowed down the 6-0 run by the guests helped Bayern keep the lead at the half, 43-37.
Munich passion
Paul Zipser thrilled the FCBB fans with five points in a row, and Walden also hit his first three-pointer (51-42/23rd). Milan answered with a 8-0 run and Trinchieri had to react - timeout (51-50/25th). But the momentum remained with the northern Italians and Nicolo Melli with the three-pointer took the lead (55-53/26th). The loss of strength in the second game within two days was noticeable, but the Munich team showed character and got the last ounce of fight out of themselves. The reward was a 9-0 FCBB run (62-57/29th). Cassius Winston scored two important buckets before the last quarter break, in which the Munich team was ahead 66-63.
Winston's arrival in the EuroLeague
Milan did not need a minute to regain the upper hand and tie the game but Lucic had the answer ready (69-67/32nd). The game was now a slug fest as the Munich team had long since accepted and wanted at all costs this first win of the season in the top division. The fans were also on their toes. The Munich players were tired and their shots were not falling. On the home stretch towards crunch time, the lead changed several times, but remained razor-thin each time. Both teams reeled and defended with their last strength, Lucic knocked in a three-pointer for a 79-77 lead (67 seconds left). Hines picks up a foul - Lucic's fifth - and converted both free throws to tie the game (79-79/45 seconds left). Winston made a fabulous move to the basket and scored to make it 81-79 (34 seconds left). Billy Baron took advantage of a brief moment of inattention to hit a three-pointer (82-81 Milan/ 21 seconds left). Winston missed a shot and Hines let the ball split out of his hands on the rebound - 3.9 seconds left and possession for FCBB. Weiler-Babb was then fouled and got two free throws, his first in the game. To the horror of the fans, he missed both and became the tragic figure of this defeat, but everyone in the hall patted him on the back and consoled him.