Svetislav Pesic, head coach FC Bayern Basketball: “The first and second half were very different today. We had an opponent who may not be Valencia, but who plays like Valencia: very aggressive defense, very smart in offense. we needed some time to organize ourselves so that we could get into the rhythm.” He emphasized the importance of the home court advantage, stating, “everyone who comes to our hall must have the feeling that Bayern is playing here in our park.” The team’s second-half advancement was notable, with Bayern connecting on 20 of 12 three-point attempts and recording 18 assists in just 20 minutes. Pesic highlighted Justus Hollatz’s performance, noting he had eleven assists and played very well, adding, “That was a game like I want, in defense and offense, where we all played together, always ready for the next pass.”
Justus Hollatz: „We were more aggressive defensively after halftime, took better care of the ball and moved it better. Andi gave us the momentum with his throws. I’m slowly finding my rhythm and gaining my self-confidence on defense to help on offense. That worked well today. Also thanks to my team who hit the shots.”
Sasa Filipovski, head coach at Fitness first Würzburg baskets: “Congratulations to Bayern, they dominated the game with their physicality. We had a weak start, Bayern quickly led by ten points, but we came back and then conceded three three-pointers again at the begining of the third quarter. That was the same start as in the first half.The game then leveled off at a difference of nine or ten points, we couldn’t catch up. Congratulations to Bayern, they were the better team. It was arduous for us with this rhythm to keep up.”
What was the turning point for Bayern? A significant shift in defensive aggression and ball movement after halftime allowed Bayern to capitalize on their offensive opportunities, leading to a dominant second-half performance.
