By John Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Bryce Taylor wasn’t the hero on Wednesday, but Brose Bamberg wouldn’t go through to the Basketball Champions League Final Four without the 32-year-old American-German guard. The German side fell in a 12-point hole, before answering with a 10-0 run fueled by Taylor’s 3/3 shots beyond the arc during the fourth quarter. It all came down to Tyrese Rice floater, but his teammate’s three-pointers kept the visitors alive in their toughest moment.
“It was a big accomplishment to get to the Final Four. We were down 12, but we never gave up, we kept on fighting back” the Oregon alumni said to Eurohoops after the BCL Quarterfinals Gameday 2 contest. Asked about his massive contribution, Taylor added: “Those are the moments you work hard for in the practices. You have to take the chance to make big plays for your team. Today was my chance.”
Coming off 6.8 points per EuroLeague game and 10.6 points per easyCredit BBL contest during his 2017-18 campaign, the 2014 BBL Champion with FC Bayern Munich is only averaging 4.9 points per BCL match and 5.2 points in the German League this season. He missed the Regular Season away match versus AEK, but ultimately at Athens he poured 11 of his 54 Champions League 2018-19 points. Taylor certainly made his shots count when it mattered. He tallied three rebounds and one assist against the Queen as well.
The defending champions will be forced to watch four other teams put their claim on the Basketball Champions League crown in the Final Four. A draw will take place next week in the city chosen to host the final stage of the 2018-19 campaign. Bamberg removed AEK from contention to set its sights on the title. “We got to win regardless who we play against” Taylor mentioned commenting on the Final Four field.
AEK’s crowd was on hand, but fans left OAKA disappointed with the visiting side progressing. “It was an incredible atmosphere. It can be imposing, it can intimating, but we found our way through. It was a great chance to play in front of an incredible atmosphere” Bamberg’s secret weapon admitted afterwards.