FC Bayern Munich wins German Cup
FC Bayern Munich rebounded from a slow start en route to an 85-79 victory over ALBA Berlin in the German Cup final on Sunday.
The tournament champions trailed 29-17 after the opening quarter, but flipped the script in the second period.
As a result, FC Bayern Munich took a 41-39 edge into the halftime break.
Paul Zipser paced the champs with 18 points, including 4 of 6 from 3-point range, followed by Wade Baldwin, who scored 13. Leon Radosevic and D.J. Seeley scored 12 and 11 points, respectively. Vladimir Lucic and Jalen Reynolds both had nine points. Lucic also contributed greatly on defense, making key blocks. He received the German Cup Finals MVP honor.
The road to the German Cup final
FC Bayern Munich reached the German Cup final by beating Ratiopharm Ulm 104-102 in double overtime on Saturday.
ALBA Berlin triumphed 112-96 in its semifinal showdown with BG Göttingen.
Free-throw shooting gives victors big boost
FC Bayern Munich sank 29 of 36 free throws, including Lucic’s team-best 7-for-7 at the Audi Dome.
And how did ALBA Berlin fare at the foul line? The runner-up squad made 15 of 23.
FC Bayern Munich avenges Bundesliga defeat
After suffering a 100-62 loss to ALBA Berlin in the German Bundesliga on April 26, FC Bayern Munich relished the sweet taste of victory in the Cup finale.
FC Bayern Munich coach reacts to title
FC Bayern Munich coach Andrea Trinchieri surprised nobody by summing up his team’s play this way: “Today it was a great performance from the whole team. We played 50 minutes yesterday, but wanted the title so much.”
Trinchieri credited his players for maintaining their poise despite a disappointing start.
“Berlin scored everything in the first seven minutes. But we did not fall apart,” the coach commented. “We then put ourselves in the only possible position to win the game. With solid defense, great fight and a lot of effort.”
He continued: “It’s always hard to win a title in your first year. To get one with these players tastes especially sweet. … It’s very hard to win a title in your first year at a new club, with new players, but my team did a fantastic job today.”
ALBA Berlin veteran speaks out
Reflecting on the loss in the tournament title game, ALBA Berlin veteran swingman Niels Giffey said, “It was extremely frustrating for us. We didn’t quite manage to put our stamp on the game. … We tried to push in the end, maybe we should have done it more.”
He went on: “We were in the game and found our rhythm early on. Munich then turned it into a half-court game. We like the faster game better. We found ourselves in one-on-ones too much and dribbled too much. It’s extremely bitter.”
Jayson Granger led ALBA Berlin with 17 points and Marcus Eriksson finished with 12.