Bayern Munich takes Game 1 advantage in BBL finals

Round 1 of the Beko BBL German final got underway on Sunday as Bayern Munich and Brose Baskets Bamberg clashed to decide the destination of the championship. The Munich club managed to snatch an impressive 73-84 road win in Bamberg to open its account in the series and put early pressure on Brose Baskets.

As defending champs, the onus is on Bayern to deliver and make it back to back titles, but Brose Baskets has won four of the last five Bundesliga’s and will want its trophy back. Munich shot a classy 82.6% of its free throws through the contest, draining 19-of-23 from the charity strip, ensuring some easy buckets during the game.
It was the home team that started better, with Brose Baskets Bamberg edging a high quality period 28-27. After trading buckets at a blistering pace in the opening stanza, both teams cooled considerably in the second, with Bamberg suffering in attack and scoring just 10 points. Bayern Munich managed to hit 17 points to make it 38-44 to the visitors through the long break. The third quarter proved tight, but Munich added a point to its advantage with a 16-17 run that made it 54-61 through thirty minutes. The Bavarian visitors seemed to have too much and in the fourth Bayern enhanced its position and cruised to a victory.

Vladimir Stimac plundered 16 points and claimed 6 rebounds for Munich, while Dusko Savanociv and Bryce Taylor both compiled 14 points. John Bryant claimed 12 points in the win.

Brad Wanamaker was the top scorer for Bamberg with 15 points, followed by Elias Harris, Janis Strelnieks, Daniel Theis, and Darius Miller, who all scored 10 points.