Bayern won their last main round home game against Red Star Belgrade and reached the Euroleague play-offs. However, Alba Berlin missed a surprise.
Out of the way: Deshaun Thomas (right) on the ball.
IMAGO/Passion2Press
The basketball players of FC Bayern Munich have qualified early for the playoffs of the Euroleague. On Friday, the Bundesliga basketball club won against their direct competitor Red Star Belgrade with 82:57 (42:33) and scored their highest win of the season in the European Cup. With a record of 13:12 wins, Andrea Trinchieri’s team can no longer be dislodged from eighth place with three games to play.
Munich didn’t find their rhythm at first, but Augustine Rubit kept his team in the game. While the guests had a slight advantage in the first quarter, Bayern turned the game around thanks to 27 points in the second half. At halftime, the Bundesliga basketball team was ahead by 42:33.
After the break, the hosts continued to defend strongly and didn’t allow any points in the first five minutes. Bayern ended the third quarter with a 13:3 run, pulled away by 20 points and decided the game early. Augustine Rubit (22 points) and Deshaun Thomas (16) were the best from Munich.
For Bayern, the game against Belgrade was the last home game of the main round. Three away games are scheduled from April 4th to 8th: against Fenerbahce Istanbul, Anadolu Efes Istanbul and Real Madrid. Then Munich can even improve its starting position.
Alba misses surprise
Alba Berlin just missed a surprise in the Euroleague. On Friday evening, the weakened Berliners lost 77:87 (39:36) to defending champion Anadolu Efes Istanbul despite a strong performance for a long time. After the 15th defeat in the 26th game, the Berliners have little chance of a playoff place. Two games are left. The best Berlin throwers were Oscar da Silva with 20 points and Maodo Lo with 15 points.
Coach Israel Gonzalez again had to cope with a few failures. In addition to the long-term injury Marcus Eriksson and the corona cases Luke Sikma and Tamir Blatt, center Ben Lammers was also absent due to muscular problems. Winger Louis Olinde returned after a seven-week injury break.
Three days after the surprise win at Fenerbahce, Alba also started very well against Anadolu. The Berliners set the pace and pulled away to 22:9 in the first quarter. But then the Istanbul star ensemble woke up and defended more intensively in the heated atmosphere, coming back point by point.
Immediately after the break, the hosts took the lead for the first time. A 10-0 run in the middle of the third quarter meant that the Berliners were constantly chasing a deficit. Alba fought and got back to a point a good five minutes before the end (69:70). In the final phase, however, the guests were no longer able to counter the experienced Istanbul side.
