By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Following numerous lead changes, FC Bayern Munich controlled the fourth quarter to outlast Valencia, 97-92, Thursday.
Corey Walden scored all of his 18 points in the second half, including four three-pointers boosting the team effort to 16/36. “We did well. We put up points,” commented the Eastern Kentucky product, “Our offense was letting us down, but everybody stepped up and got the job done.”
Back in Germany from the NBA, Isaac Bonga fired in 14 points, a new personal best in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. Extending long shooting success through the two-game week, Othello Hunter got 2/5 from beyond the arc and a total of 13 points in the Regular Season Round 14 contest.
“It just kind of shows how deep we are as a team. I think every single player can just go off. It can be me in the first half, somebody else like Corey this time in the second half,” said Bonga on the depth of his side, “A win like this shows a lot of things can go our way and should go our way.”
Round 13 MVP and team captain Bojan Dubljevic checking in midway through the first quarter became the first player with 100 games played as a member of Valencia. Dealing with fatigue down the stretch, the Montenegrin big presented the biggest threat for Bayern with a season-high 28 points, including 5/6 triples. Jared Harper went for 15 points, eight assists, and three rebounds in the losing effort for the team coached by Alex Mumbru.
“Dubljevic was a problem,” confessed Andrea Trinchieri in the postgame press conference and praised EuroLeague rookie Freddie Gillespie for handling the demanding matchup, “Freddie found a way to be very efficient with eight rebounds and very active around the rim.”
The first double-digit separation marked the early stages of the fourth period with Valencia failing to keep pace as three-pointers were falling in bunches for the hosts. Using late momentum, Bayern held on and bounced back off the home loss to Real Madrid Tuesday. Stuck on the injury list were Vladimir Lucic (left elbow) and Augustine Rubit (groin). Zan Mark Sisko (personal) was unavailable as well.
“They made 9/14 three-pointers in the second half. Good shots but also due to our bad defense. It is hard to compete against such accuracy in three-pointers,” losing head coach Mumbru shared his view on Bayern improving outside shooting, “We tried to come back and stay in the game. But in the end, it was not possible for us to compete and win this game.”
Top scorer Cassius Winston was held to 0/6 from beyond the arc in a six-point effort but dished out five assists helping the team coached by Trinchieri improve to 5-9 after two losses in a row. Just third win in eight showings in Audi Dome in the 2022-23 edition of Europe’s premier club continental competition.
“It was a battle. Back-to-back [games]. A lot of mistakes. But we were able to put on the scoreboard 97 points,” was the immediate reaction of the Italian tactician, “I believe that we played well. We had some ups and downs. Sometimes, our offense was too stagnant. But we are going to work on it.”
In a quick turnaround from the overtime win over Panathinaikos, Valencia ruled out Chris Jones (sore right knee) for the trip to Munich. After missing Round 12 and being cleared for Round 13, he rejoined the inactive list additionally consisting of Sam Van Rossom (right knee surgery), Martin Hermannsson (left knee), and Millan Jimenez (left ankle surgery).
Dropping to 6-8 in EuroLeague, the Oranges sit at 5-6 in Spain’s Liga Endesa and will play at Coviran Granada Sunday, before focusing on the continental competition matchup opposite FC Barcelona at La Fonteta Friday.
Coming up next for Bayern is Basketball Lowen Braunschweig and the opportunity for a jump to 9-2 in Germany’s easyCredit BBL. Visiting Zalgiris next Friday resumes the EuroLeague campaign.
Photo Credit: EuroleagueBasketball.net