By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Missing players for both teams with an additional in-game issue for FC Bayern Munich but the team guided by Andrea Trinchieri made it to the 98-89 victory against Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv in Audi Dome Friday evening.
Among the ten players getting on the board in Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season Round 11, Michigan State product Cassius Winston produced a team-high 23 points. Elias Harris and Isaac Bonga followed with 14 and 12 points, respectively. Nick Weiler-Babb, Corey Walden, and Andreas Obst added ten points each.
“The team trusts me to make those plays, to be in those situations,” Winston commented on recording eight points in the fourth quarter leading to the best scoring performance in his young EuroLeague career, “Whenever I can come through for my team, it is always big for us.”
“We knew it was going to be a hard game for 40 minutes. We knew their guards would be really good, really efficient,” mentioned fellow former NBA player Bonga, “At the end of the day, we were able to stick together and get this win.”
Besides a few short-lived leads in the first half, the team coached by Oded Kattash was limited to catchup mode. Hot shooting for the home team, including 11/22 from beyond the arc, was the main response to Lorenzo Brown and his EuroLeague-high 36 points. The 32-year-old guard additionally dished out seven assists en route to a PIR of 43.
“We kept fighting. We were close. We had some momentum in the second half. I think we had better energy in the second half until we had to go in a small lineup,” said the losing play-caller, “They hit 50% of their shots from three and had ten more possessions. It’s tough to win like that.”
Four minutes in, Augustine Rubit suffered a groin strain and did not return further limiting Bayern’s options. Captain Vladimir Lucic (left elbow) and Niels Giffey (illness) were ruled out for the game along with Jason George (illness) and long-term absentee Zan Mark Sisko (personal).
“We had problems, missed players. Then, after four minutes another player is out. And we found a way to play through adversity,” summed up Trinchieri, “We played good in offense, so-so in defense, but we were able to do things in defense when it counted the most.”
From the weekend jump to 7-1 in Germany’s easyCredit BBL to 4-7 in EuroLeague. Only the second win in five outings at home this season. The visitors fell to 5-6 remaining the lone team without a win on the road.
Initially slated to go up against their former team, both Darrun Hilliard (suspension) and Wade Baldwin IV (hamstring) missed the trip to Germany. In an expanded role, Jalen Adams registered his first EuroLeague start and delivered 21 points behind 6/9 field goals in the losing effort.
The Yellows, 5-1 in Israel’s Winner League, will visit Hapoel Altshuler Shaham Beer Sheva/Dimona Monday. Back home for the next EuroLeague game against Valencia in Menora Mivtachim Arena Thursday.
Coming up next for the Munich outfit are a couple more games at home in quick succession, versus medi Bayreuth in the German Cup Quarterfinals Sunday and EWE Baskets Oldenburg in BBL Tuesday. The following Round 12 of the EuroLeague Regular Season brings up the trip to Vitoria-Gasteiz to take on Cazoo Baskonia Friday.
Photo Credit: EuroleagueBasketball.net