Bayern Munich KOs Dijon, clinches first

FC Bayern Munich became the first team to win its Last 32 group when it defeated JDA Dijon 74-84 on Tuesday and in the process eliminated Dijon. Bayern improved to 5-0 in the Last 32 to win Group K. Dijon fell to 1-4. Group K’s picture could be complete by Wednesday when Brose Baskets Bamberg hosts Union Olimpija Ljubljana; A Bamberg win would give it second place and eliminate Olimpija. Dusko Savanovic starred for Bayern with 29 points on 4-of-6 three-point shooting plus 7 rebounds. Nihad Djedovic and John Bryant added 14 points each for the winners. Kris Joseph paced Dijon with 13 points, Kevin Joss-Rauze scored 11 and Andre Harris added 10. It looked to be all Bayern early as the visitors scored the game’s first 9 points and built a 7-24 lead, however Dijon pieced together 14 unanswered points between the first and second quarters to get back in the game. After more swings in the second quarter, Bayern reached the break leading 41-45. Bryant scored half the points in a 0-12 third-quarter charge that essentially put the game away. Dijon rallied late, but never got closer than 7 as Bayern held on for the victory and first place.

Bayern jumped out to an early 0-9 lead behind a pair of Djedovic baskets and a three-point play from Savanovic. Steven Gray got Dijon on the scoreboard with a three-pointer, but Bryant soon gave the visitors a double-digit advantage, 5-16. Back-to-back threes by Savanovic and Heiko Schaffartzik had Bayern cruising comfortably at 7-24 after less than seven minutes of playing time. Dijon suddenly came alive after a Ferdinand Prenom triple. Joss-Rauze also scored from downtown in a 12-0 run that brought Dijon within 19-24 after 10 minutes. Joseph made it a 3-point game early in the second quarter and a Prenom slam got Dijon within 26-27. Svanovic rescued Bayern with the next 5 points and Djedovic put Bayern up by 10 again. Threes by Joss-Rauze and Antoine Mendy drew Dijon within 41-45 at halftime.

Savanovic scored his 20th point of the game with the first basket of the second half. Gray brought Dijon within 45-51, but Bayern took off again. Bryant scored on the offensive glass to make it a 10-point game and the visitors continued to pile on the offense. Bryant finished with half the points in a 0-12 run that made it an 18-point difference. The lead stood at 49-65 through three quarters. Jacques Alingue scored twice and assisted to Joseph. Then Erving Walker drilled a three to bring Dijon’s run to 9-0 and the score to 61-69 midway through the fourth quarter. Anton Gavel stopped the Bayern bleeding with a three-pointer, but Joseph carried Dijon to within 7. Savanovic’s fourth three-pointer and Bryant’s free throws gave Bayern all the breathing room it needed at 65-77 with less than three minutes to go and the German champs held on the rest of the way to be able to celebrate at the buzzer.