Brose Baskets topples Bayern Muenchen

Bamberg, Germany – Brose Baskets Bamberg are in a crucial junction in the 2014/15 season. In back to back games, the club has knocked down two of the league’s top teams. They handed league leader, ALBA Berlin, its first loss to end 2014 on a high note on December 24. They rode the gained momentum to crush FC Bayern Muenchen 80-63 on January 4, 2015. Brose Baskets are sending a clear message that no team is safe from them and that they are legitimate contenders for the 2014-15 Beko BBL crown.

A key factor in this game was that Bayern was missing leading scorer Nihad Djedovic who was out with a sprained ankle. Coach Pesic had the difficult task of adjusting both his lineup and rotation for the game. Both clubs came to play and were bringing some excellent defense to the table. For the first 12 minutes, they battled back and forth to wind up with a 21-21 deadlock. The two league powerhouses continued the defensive pressure to start the second period. With the low post becoming a no-man’s land, both clubs looked to their outside shooting to find some answers. Bamberg would come out ahead on that front and was more successful in finding their shot, while Bayern struggled for most of the first half.

After the halftime break, Bayern looked to John Bryant to provide some scoring punch in the low post. Both he and Vladimir Stimac heeded the call and was able to give the team a brief 36-44 advantage. More shooting woes from the outside came back to haunt Munich and they looked on as Bamberg’s shooters found their mark. Brose Baskets sparked a 17-6 run in the final quarter to seal the win. Undaunted the visiting club from Munich did its best to retake the lead, but their hosts matched them basket for basket and then some. From there, Brose Baskets expanded on their lead and continued on for the win.