By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Baskonia finally had a high-octane game and the final score was more than impressive.
The home team got the 112-89 over Bayern Munich in the highest-scoring game of the season, beating the Germans in their own game.
Markus Howard was finally himself with 27 points and six made threes, while Donta Hall, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, and Trent Forrest (photo) scored 14 points each.
When asked if he needed a night like this, Howard replied on EuroLeague TV: “Baskonia needed a night like this, it has been a tough year but we stayed resilient, we stuck together and tonight in front of our home fans we played the right way”.
Shabazz Napier with 15 points was the top scorer for Bayern which simply couldn’t follow the pace of the hosts.
The even more important thing, however, is the fact that Bayern dropped to 17-13 and a three-way tie in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague standings between the 5th and the 7th spot with Crvena Zvezda and Paris, while Baskonia at 13-17 remains 14th and can still hope for a miracle.
“Character Baskonia”
Baskonia demonstrated their pride by closing the first quarter up by four (25-21) after leading 23-14 against a team that is fighting for the home-court advantage in the playoffs.
With Bayern trailing by two (50-48) at halftime after getting a 48-45 lead, everyone expected Baskonia to break in the third period, but that wasn’t the case.
Markus Howard was finally making shots and extended Baskonia’s lead to 13 (64-51), Tadas Sedekerskis followed with a two (66-51) and Nikos Rogkavopoulos made it a 17-point game (74-57).
Bayern tried to turn the tide, still, Baskonia entered the last period up by 12 (83-71) after a bzzer beating three by Trent Forrest.
Another three by Rogkavopoulos followed (86-71) and the lead ballooned to 20 points (96-76) after a dunk by Donta Hall with six minutes left, as the game was prematurely decided.
PHOTO CREDIT: EuroLeague