Playoff chances still intact
FC Bayern wins when they reunite with their former coach
March 15, 2024, 10:38 p.m
Bayern Munich’s basketball players celebrate an important victory against Zalgiris Kaunas in the Euroleague in the fight for the play-off places. Devin Booker is the most successful thrower in the Munich team with 20 points in a duel with former coach Andrea Trinchieri.
The FC Bayern Munich basketball players won their first duel against their former coach Andrea Trinchieri. The Bundesliga basketball team defeated Zalgiris Kaunas, coached by Trinchieri, 64:58 (33:21) in the Euroleague thanks to a strong defensive performance. Trinchieri left Bayern last summer after three years. With the Italian coach, the Munich team made it into the Euroleague playoffs twice – the Bundesliga basketball team’s greatest success on the international stage.
Bayern want to reach the playoffs again this year, with the win against Kaunas they have improved their chances and with 13 wins and 16 defeats they now have the same record as the tenth-placed team Partizan Belgrade.
Bayern were very good defensively and only conceded six points in the first eight minutes. Devin Booker took over offensively (20 points) and led the hosts to an 18:10 lead after the first quarter. At the beginning of the second half, the Munich team were no longer as powerful offensively, but they forced a few ball losses in defense. FCB maintained a 33:21 lead at halftime.
The guests from Lithuania came out of the locker room with momentum, but were initially unable to build a rhythm. The Munich defense continued to have Kaunas’ top scorer Keenan Evans well under control, and in the third quarter Bayern pulled ahead to a difference of up to 18 points. In the final minute, Kaunas reduced the lead to 56:60 thanks to Evans, who was now playing strongly, but the comeback came too late.