Bayern rolls to second straight home win

For the second week in a row, FC Bayern Munich used a solid defensive effort to protect its home court, defeating Strasbourg 76-61 on Friday at the Audi Dome. Bayern hit 11 three-point shots in 24 attempts to improve to 2-1 in a three-team share of the first place in Group A. Strasbourg dropped to 1-2. Bayern never trailed after the first quarter, but did not pull away to a double-digit lead until the third. Each time Bayern made separation, however, Strasbourg came back, until Nihad Djedovic and Dusko Savanovic scored 8 of the points in a 10-0 fourth-quarter run that opened a 66-53 margin from which the hosts never looked back. Djedovic finished with 22 points while shooting 4-for-7 from long range and dishing 6 assists. Savanovic scored 18 points with 7 rebounds and 4 steals for the winners, while K.C. Rivers added 8. Vladimir Golubovic collected 22 points and 6 rebounds for Strasbourg, and Louis Campbell netted 11 in defeat.

First quarter: Bayern takes early lead

Jeremy Leloup made a steal and raced for a layup for the first basket of the game. After Djedovic drove through a crowd for a layup, Rodrigue Beaubois hit from long range to make it 2-5. Savanovic and Golubovic traded baskets inside before Alex Renfroe accelerated on a fastbreak and finished with a thundering dunk at 6-7. A triple from Djedovic gave Bayern its first lead, but Golubovic replied with a reverse layup to tie 9-9. Djedovic picked Paul Lacomb's pocket and scored an easy basket to restore Bayern's lead. Lacomb and Paul Zipser traded three-pointers to end a scoreless stretch before Bryce Taylor hit a jumper for Bayern at 16-12. The hosts finished the quarter with a textbook fastbreak that started with a block by Taylor and finished with his assist for a Rivers, extending Bayern's lead to 18-12.

Second quarter: The visitors erase the deficit

Campbell got a lucky roll on a three-pointer for Strasbourg, and after Deon Thompson answered with a long jumper for the hosts, Campbell fired another three-pointer, cutting the difference to 20-18. After a timeout, Savanovic made a runner, and John Bryant followed it with a three that stretched Bayern's lead to 25-18. Djedovic and Campbell traded easy layups, and Golubovic scored from close range at 27-22. After a timeout, Golubovic added another basket inside to cut the deficit further points as the visitors held Bayern without a field goal for more than 4 minutes. During that span Bryant and Renfroe split free throws, but Leloup’s three-pointer and a fastbreak layup from Mardy Collins tied the score at 29-29. The hosts needed a pair of free throws from Djedovic to take a 31-29 halftime lead.

Third quarter: Bayern pulls away again behind Djedovic

Bayern started the second half strong. Djedovic found Savanovic with an over-the-head, no-look pass. After Bryant’s three-point play, Djedovic nailed a triple to cap an 8-0 run of less than 90 seconds with Bayern in control, 39-29. After a timeout, Kyle Weems hit a triple for Strasbourg, but Djedovic answered from downtown himself. Golubovic scored down low, and Collins added an easy breakaway layup for the visitors. Savanovic replied with a mid-range jumper, but a put-back and a layup from Golubovic got Strasbourg within 44-40. After a Bayern timeout, Campbell buried a corner three to make it a one-point game, but Savanovic hit from very long range, ending Bayern’s spell of almost 3 minutes without a basket at 47-43. Rivers followed, punishing a Strasbourg turnover with a triple before Thompson extended it to 52-43 from the foul line. Now, the visitors were without a basket for almost 4 minutes before Golubovic made 4 of 4 free throws, but Djedovic got a layup in the final seconds, making it 54-47 at the end of the third quarter.

Fourth quarter: Bayern finishes the visitors off

Anton Gavel opened the fourth quarter with free throws for Bayern, but Weems had a layup-plus-foul, and Leloup buried a corner three-pointer to keep Strasbourg close at 56-53. Thompson stepped up then with a mid-range jumper, and Savanovic followed with a three-pointer as the hosts regained breathing room. Djedovic buried another three, and Savanovic added a baseline jumper that had Bayern in charge again 66-53 with 5 minutes to go. Golubovic snapped Bayern's 10-0 run with 2 free throws, then added a big two-handed slam to the tally. But Taylor countered with a triple and a fastbreak layup that made it 71-57. Bayern's lead reached 16 points with 100 seconds to go. Romeo Travis scored a pair of baskets for Strasbourg, but Rivers ended the game with a triple for a 15-point margin at the end.